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THE 


MEDEA  OF  EURIPIDES 


LITERALLY  TRANSLATED, 
WITH  CEITICAL  AND  EXPLANATORY  NOTES, 

BY 

THEODORE  ALOIS  BUCKLEY,  B.A. 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

EDWAKD    BKOOKS,   JB. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

DAVLD  McKAY,  PUBLISHER, 

1022  MARKET  STREET. 


Copyright,  1897,  by  DAVID  McKAY. 


INTRODUCTION. 


AMONG  the  writers  of  Greek  tragedy  there  are  three 
names  which  stand  pre-eminent.  These  are  ^Eschylus, 
Sophocles  and  Euripides.  Of  these,  Euripides,  while 
probably  inferior  to  the  other  two,  was,  nevertheless, 
greatly  admired  by  his  countrymen,  and  gained  several 
prizes  in  the  tragic  contests, 

He  was  born  on  the  island  of  Salamis,  480  B.C.,  forty- 
five  years  later  than  ^Sschylus  and  fifteen  years  after 
Sophocles.  The  day  of  his  birth  was  noted  as  being  that 
upon  which  the  celebrated  battle  of  Salamis  was  fought 
and  won. 

Little  is  known  of  his  parentage.  His  father  was 
called  Mnesarchus,  and  was  probably  a  man  of  good  fam- 
ily. That  he  was  possessed  of  considerable  wealth  is  evi- 
dent from  the  care  and  expense  that  were  bestowed  upon 
.the  education  of  his  son.  His  mother,  Clito,  was  an 
Athenian  herbseller,  who  had  been  sent  away  to  Salamis, 
in  company  with  others  of  her  countrywomen,  when  Attica 
was  given  up,  and  the  population  sought  refuge  in  the 
ships. 

As  a  young  man  Euripides  had  the  advanVage  of  study- 
ing under  such  instructors  as  Prodicus,  Anaxagoras  and 

(v) 

2056198 


vi  INTRODUCTION. 

Protagoras.  Though  a  brilliant  scholar  and  a  hard  stu- 
dent, he  also  excelled  as  an  athlete,  and  was  twice  victo- 
rious in  the  gymnastic  contests  of  his  time. 

At  a  very  early  date  he  gave  indication  of  those  attain- 
ments which  subsequently  made  him  famous,  for  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five  he  succeeded  in  gaining  third  prize  in 
the  tragic  contests  with  one  of  his  compositions. 

His  life  seems  not  to  have  been  a  very  happy  one,  do- 
mestic infelicity  and  the  sarcastic  allusions  of  his  political 
enemy,  Aristophanes,  probably  driving  him  from  Athens 
to  seek  retirement  in  Macedonia  with  King  Archelaus. 

His  death,  which  took  place  in  406  B.C.,  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  tragic,  it  being  alleged  that  he,  like  a  char- 
acter of  one  of  his  own  plays,  was  torn  to  pieces  by  dogs. 
It  is  probable,  however,  that  his  death  occurred  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature. 

Euripides  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  a  true  tragedian. 
His  plays  contain  much  that  savors  of  the  melodrama. 
They  might  end  either  happily  or  otherwise  without 
marring  or  changing  that  which  has  gone  before,  and  the 
tragic  element  is  usually  contributed  by  the  introduction 
of  some  unexpected  wholesale  slaughter,  which  suggests 
that  the  poet's  disposition  contained  more  than  a  grain  of 
morbid  cruelty. 

A  translation  of  The  Medea,  one  of  Euripides'  compo- 
sitions, is  contained  in  the  following  pages.  The  scene 
of  the  tragedy  is  laid  in  Corinth,  and  the  plot  is  based 
upon  the  events  which  are  said  to  have  followed  the 
mythological  expedition  of  the  Argonauts  in  search  of  the 
golden  fleece.  The  dramatis  personce  include  Jason, 
leader  of  the  Argonauts  ;  Creon,  King  of  Corinth  ;  JEgeus, 
the  son  of  Pandion ;  Medea,  wife  of  Jason. 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

Jason,  having  reached  the  land  of  Colchis,  where  the 
golden  fleece  was  carefully  guarded  by  a  terrible  dragon, 
makes  love  to  the  king's  daughter,  Medea,  who  is  an  en- 
chantress, and  persuades  her  to  assist  him  in  his  attempt 
to  steal  the  coveted  fleece.  She  administers  a  potion  to 
the  dragon,  which  enables  Jason  to  kill  it  and  get  posses- 
sion of  the  object  of  his  quest 

The  two  lovers  make  their  escape  from  Colchis  by 
stealth,  and,  being  subsequently  married,  take  up  their 
abode  in  Corinth. 

The  tragedy  commences  at  a  time  when  Jason,  having 
tired  of  his  wife,  who  has  borne  him  two  children,  and 
being  impelled  by  considerations  of  policy  as  well  as  by  a 
desire  to  indulge  a  new  affection,  espouses  a  royal  bride 
in  the  person  of  Glauce,  daughter  of  King  Creon. 

The  play  opens  with  along  soliloquy  by  Medea's  nurse, 
who  stands  at  the  gates  of  the  palace  and  relates  the 
wrongs  and  misfortunes  of  her  mistress.  In  the  mean- 
time lamentations  are  heard  issuing  from  within,  and  soon 
Medea  appears  and  asks  the  chorus  of  Corinthian  women 
to  assist  her,  at  least  by  their  silence,  if  she  should  con- 
trive a  way  to  be  revenged  upon  her  husband. 

King  Creon  then  comes  upon  the  scene,  and,  enraged 
at  the  attitude  which  Medea  has  taken  toward  the  mar- 
riage of  Jason  with  his  daughter,ordersher  to  depart  forth- 
with from  the  country  with  her  two  sons.  Medea  pleads 
to  be  allowed  to  remain,  saying  that,  though  injured,  she 
will  keep  silent.  Creon  is  obdurate,  but  finally  consents 
to  her  remaining  until  the  next  day. 

Medea  is  then  left  alone  with  the  Corinthian  women, 
with  whom  she  counsels  as  to  how  she  may  best  be  re- 
venged upon  those  who  have  wronged  her. 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

Jason  next  appears  and  reproaches  his  wife  for  her  un- 
governable temper.  Medea  answers  her  husband  by  a 
recital  of  the  many  sacrifices  she  has  undergone  for  him, 
and  reviles  him  on  account  of  his  faithless  conduct  towards 
her.  Jason  attempts  to  justify  himself  by  showing  that 
his  marriage  with  Glauce  was  an  act  of  policy  intended 
to  bring  about  the  welfare  of  Medea  and  her  children. 
Medea,  however,  is  not  persuaded,  and  refusing  his 
proffer  of  money  to  assist  her  in  her  flight,  she  bids  him 
begone. 

-<Egeus,  the  son  of  Pandion,  is  then  introduced,  who 
explains  that  he  is  on  his  way  home  from  the  oracle  of 
Phoebus,  which  he  had  gone  to  consult  as  to  how  he  might 
have  offspring,  he,  though  married,  being  destitute  of 
children.  Medea  tells  him  of  her  troubles,  and  begs  him 
to  receive  her  at  his  hearth  in  his  country,  promising  that 
she  will,  by  her  charms,  cause  him  to  accomplish  his 
heart's  desire.  JEgeus  promises  to  receive  her  hospit- 
ably should  she  come  to  his  country,  but  refuses  to  accom- 
pany heron  her  journey  there,  and  thereupon  takes  his 
departure. 

Medea  then  explains  to  the  chorus  her  plans  for  obtain- 
ing revenge  and  bids  them  go  and  bring  Jason  to  her. 
Him  she  conciliates  with  repentant  words  and  begs  that 
he  persuade  King  Creon  not  to  banish  her  two  sons  from 
the  realm,  but  to  allow  them  to  remain  in  Corinth  in 
order  that  they  may  be  brought  up  at  the  king's  palace. 
She  bids  her  attendants  bring  a  fine-wrought  robe  and  a 
golden-twined  chaplet  for  her  sons  to  bear  as  a  nuptial 
present  to  the  royal  bride,  saying  that  gifts  persuade  even 
the  gods,  and  that  they  may  propitiate  Creon  and  cause 
him  to  grant  her  request. 


INTRODUCTION.  ix 

Her  sons  carry  the  presents  to  Glauce,  who  promises  to 
intercede  with  Creon  to  allow  them  to  remain  at  the  pal- 
ace. She  then  puts  on  the  variegated  robe  and  places  the 
.  golden  chaplet  upon  her  head.  But  then  occurs  a  dread- 
ful sight.  The  presents  which  the  slighted  wife  had  sent 
to  her  rival  have  been  anointed  with  a  subtle  poison,~and 
scarcely  does  the  unfortunate  Glauce  array  herself  in  them 
when  suddenly  a  white  foam  bursts  from  her  mouth,  the 
blood  drops  from  the  top  of  her  head  and  the  flesh  begins 
to  drop  from  her  body  as  though  she  were  being  burned 
at  the  stake.  Her  father,  rushing  in  and  beholding  his 
wretched  child,  embraces  her,  and  being  immediately 
affected  in  a  like  manner,  they  both  die  in  each  other's 
arms. 

Medea  then  kills  her  two  children,  and  is  about  to  es- 
cape from  Corinth  when  Jason  presents  himself  at  the 
gates  of  his  palace,  seeking  to  punish  her  for  her  crimes. 
He  demands  admittance  of  the  attendants,  but  is  told  by 
Medea  to  desist,  as  he  shall  never  lay  hands  upon  her. 
Then  mounting  a  chariot  drawn  by  dragons,  Medea  pauses 
long  enough  to  tell  Jason  that  she  is  going  to  dwell  with 
uEgeus,  but  that  he  shall  die  a  fitting  death,  struck  by  a 
relic  of  his  ship  Argo,  and  is  borne  away  taking  with  her 
the  bodies  of  her  slaughtered  sons. 


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MEDEA. 


PERSONS  REPRESENTED. 

NURSE. 

TUTOR. 

MEDEA. 

CHORUS  OF  CORINTHIAN  WOMEN. 

CREON. 

JASON. 

JEGEUS. 

MESSENGER. 

SONS  OF  MEDEA. 

The  Scene  lies  in  the  vestibule  of  the  palace  of  Jason  at  Corinth. 


THE  ARGUMENT. 


JASON,  having  come  to  Corinth,  and  bringing  with  him  Me- 
dea, espouses  Glance,  the  daughter  of  Creon,  king  of  Corinth. 
But  Medea,  on  the  point  of  being  banished  from  Corinth  by 
Creon,  having  asked  to  remain  one  day,  and  having  obtained 
her  wish,  sends  to  Glauce,  by  the  hands  of  her  sons,  presents, 
as  an  acknowledgment  for  the  favor,  a  robe  and  a  golden  chap- 
let,  which  she  puts  on  and  perishes ;  Creon  also  having  em- 
braced his  daughter  is  destroyed.  But  Medea,  when  she  had 
slain  her  children,  escapes  to  Athens,  in  a  chariot  drawn  by 
winged  dragons,  which  she  received  from  the  Sun,  and  there 
marries  ^Egeus  sou  of  Paudion. 


(12) 


MEDEA. 


NUBSE  OP  MEDEA.' 

"VVotTLD  that  the  hull  of  Argo  had  not  winged  her  way  to 
the  Colchian  land  through  the  Cyanean  Symplegades,1  and 
that  the  pine  felled  in  the  forests  of  Pelion  had  never  fallen, 
nor  had  caused  the  hands  of  the  chiefs  to  row,2  who  went  in 
search  of  the  golden  fleece  for  Pelais  ;  for  neither  then  would 
my  mistress  Medea  have  sailed  to  the  towers  of  the  lolcian 
land,  deeply  smitten  in  her  mind  with  the  love  of  Jason  ; 
nor  having  persuaded  the  daughters  of  Pelias  to  slay  their 
father  would  she  have  inhabited  this  country  of  Corinth  with 
her  husband  and  her  children,  pleasing  indeed  by  her  flight3 
the  citizens  to  whose  land  she  came,  and  herself  concurring 
in  every  respect  with  Jason  ;  which  is  the  surest  support  of 
conjugal  happiness,  when  the  wife  is  not  estranged  from  the 
husband.  But  now  every  thing  is  at  variance,  and  the  dearest 
ties  are  weakened.  For  having  betrayed  his  own  children, 

1  The  Cyanese  Petrae,  or  Symplegades,  were  two  rocks  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Euxine  Sea,  said  to  meet   together  with  prodi- 
gious violence,  and  crush  the  passing  ships.    See  Pindar.  Pyth. 
iv.  386. 

2  ipeTpuiaai  signifies  to  make  to  row;  iperpfjaai,  to  row.  In  the 
same  sense  the  two  verbs  derived  from  TrtfXc^or  are  used,  TroA^dcj 
signifying  ad  bellum  excito ;  rroX^so),  bellum  gero. 

3  Elmsley  reads  </>«y^  in  the  nominative  case,  "  a  flight  indeed 
pleasing,"  etc. 


I4  MEDEA.  [16-52. 

and  my  mistress,  Jason  reposes  in  royal  wedlock,  having 
married  the  daughter  of  Creon,  who  is  prince  of  this  land. 
But  Medea  the  unhappy,  dishonored,  calls  on  his  oaths,  and 
recalls  the  hands  they  plighted,  the  greatest  pledge  of  fidelity, 
and  invokes  the  gods  to  witness  what  return  she  meets  with 
from  Jason.  And  she  lies  without  tasting  food,  having  sunk 
her  body  in  grief,  dissolving  all  her  tedious  time  in  tears, 
after  she  had  once  known  that  she  had  been  injured  by  her 
husband,  neither  raising  her  eye,  nor  lifting  her  countenance 
from  the  ground ;  but  as  the  rock,  or  the  wave  of  the  sea, 
does  she  listen  to  her  friends  when  advised.  Save  that 
sometimes  having  turned  her  snow-white  neck  she  to  herself 
bewails  her  dear  father,  and  her  country,  and  her  house, 
having  betrayed  which  she  hath  come  hither  with  a  man 
who  has  now  dishonored  her.  And  she  wretched  hath  dis- 
covered from  affliction  what  it  is  not  to  forsake  one's  pater- 
nal country.  But  she  hates  her  children,  nor  is  she  delighted 
at  beholding  them  :  but  I  fear  her,  lest  she  form  some  new 
design  :  for  violent  is  her  mind,  nor  will  it  endure  to  suffer 
ills.  I  know  her,  and  I  fear  her,  lest  she  should  force  the 
sharpened  sword  through  her  heart,  or  even  should  murder 
the  princess  and  him  who  married  her,  and  after  that  receive 
some  greater  ill.  For  she  is  violent ;  he  who  engages  with 
her  in  enmity  will  not  with  ease  at  least  sing  the  song  of 
victory.  But  these  her  children  are  coming  hither  having 
ceased  from  their  exercises,  nothing  mindful  of  their 
mother's  ills,  for  the  mind  of  youth  is  not  wont  to  grieve. 

TUTOR,  WITH  THE  SONS  OF  MEDEA,  NUKSE. 
TUT.  Othou  ancient  possession  of  my  mistress's  house, 
why  dost  thou  stand  at  the  gates  preserving  thus  thy  soli- 
tude, bewailing  to  thyself  our  misfortunes?    How  doth  Me- 
dea wish  to  be  left  alone  without  thee  ? 


53-79-3  MEDEA.  15 

NUB.  O  aged  man,  attendant  on  the  children  of  Jason,  to 
faithful  servants  the  affairs  of  their  masters  turning  out  ill 
are  a  calamity,  and  lay  hold  upon  their  feelings.  For  I  have 
arrived  at  such  a  height  of  grief  that  desire.hath  stolen  on 
me  to  come  forth  hence  and  tell  the  misfortunes  of  Medea  to 
the  earth  and  heaven. 

TUT.  Does  not  she  wretched  yet  receive  any  respite  from 
her  grief? 

NUR.  I  envy  thy  ignorance  ;  her  woe  is  at  its  rise,  and 
not  even  yet  at  its  height. 

TUT.  O  unwise  woman,  if  it  is  allowable  to  say  this  of 
one' s  lords,  since  she  knows  nothing  of  later  ills. 

NUR.  But  what  is  this,  O  aged  man  ?  grudge  not  to  tell  me. 

TUT.  Nothing :  I  have  repented  even  of  what  was  said 
before. 

NUR,  Do  not,  I  beeeech  you  by  your  beard,  conceal  it  from 
your  fellow-servant ;  for  I  will  preserve  silence,  if  it  be 
necessary,  on  these  subjects. 

TUT.  I  heard  from  some  one  who  was  saying,  not  appear- 
ing to  listen,  having  approached  the  places  where  dice  is 
played,  where  the  elders  sit,  around  the  hallowed  font  of 
Pirene,  that  the  king  of  this  land,  Creon,  intends  to  banish 
from  the  Corinthian  country  these  children,  together  with 
their  mother ;  whether  this  report  be  true,  however,  I  know 
not ',  but  I  wish  this  may  not  be  the  case. 

NUR.  And  will  Jason  endure  to  see  his  children  suffer 
this,  even  although  he  is  at  enmity  with  their  mother  ? 

TUT.  Ancient  alliances  are  deserted  for  new,  and  he  is 
no  friend  to  this  family. 

NUR.  We  perish  then,  if  to  the  old  we  shall  add  a  new 
ill,  before  the  former  be  exhausted.1 

1  Literally,  Before  we  have  drained  this  to  the  very  dregs.  So 
Virgil,  JEn,  iv.  14.  Qnse  bella  exhausta  canebat ! 


1 6  MEDEA.  [8o-no. 

TTJT.  But  do  thou,  for  it  is  not  seasonable  that  my  mis- 
tress should  know  this,  restrain  your  tongue,  and  be  silent 
on  this  report. 

NUB.  O  my  children,  do  you  hear  what  your  father  is 
toward  you  ?  Yet  may  he  not  perish,  for  he  is  my  master, 
yet  he  is  found  to  be  treacherous  toward  his  friends. 

TUT.  And  what  man  is  not  ?  dost  thou  only  now  know 
this,  that  every  one  loves  himself  dearer  than  his  neigh- 
bor,1 some  indeed  with  justice,  but  others  even  for  the  sake 
of  gain,  unless  it  be  that2  their  father  loves  not  these  at  least 
on  account  of  new  nuptials. 

NUB.  Go  within  the  house,  my  children,  for  all  will  be 
well.  But  do  thou  keep  these  as  much  as  possible  out  of  the 
way,  and  let  them  not  approach  their  mother,  deranged 
through  grief.  For  but  now  I  saw  her  looking  with  wild- 
ness  in  her  eyes  on  these,  as  about  to  execute  some  design, 
nor  will  she  cease  from  her  fury,  I  well  know,  before  she 
overwhelm  some  one  with  it ;  upon  her  enemies,  however, 
and  not  her  friends,  may  she  do  some  [ill]. 

MEDEA,  (within)  Wretch  that  I  am,  and  miserable  on 
account  of  my  misfortunes,  alas  me  !  would  I  might  perish ! 

NUB.  Thus  it  is,  my  children  ;  your  mother  excites  her 
heart,  excites  her  fury.  Hasten  as  quick  as  possible  within 
the  house,  and  come  not  near  her  sight,  nor  approach  her, 
but  guard  against  the  fierce  temper  and  violent  nature  of 
her  self-willed  mind.  Go  now,  go  as  quick  as  possible  within. 
But  it  is  evident  that  the  cloud  of  grief  raised  up  from  the 
beginning  will  quickly  burst  forth  with  greater  fury  ;  what 
I  pray  will  her  soul,  great  in  rage,  implacable,  irritated  by 
ills,  perform  ! 

1  Ter.  And.  Act.  ii.  Sc.  5.     Omnes  stbi  matte  melius  esse  quam 
alteri.    Ac.  iv.  Sc.  1.  Proximus  sum  egomet  mihi, 

2  Elmsley  reads  «<»  for  el,  "  And  their  father,"  etc. 


ni-140.]  MEDEA.  17 

MED.  Alas  !  alas  !  I  wretched  have  suffered,  have  suffered 
treatment  worthy  of  great  lamentation.  O  ye  accursed 
children  of  a  hated  mother,  may  ye  perish  with  your  father, 
and  may  the  whole  house  fall. 

NUR.  Alas !  alas !  me  miserable  !  but  why  should  your 
children  share  their  father's  error?  Why  dost  thou  hate 
these  ?  Alas  me,  my  children,  how  beyond  measure  do  I 
grieve  lest  ye  suffer  any  evil !  Dreadful  are  the  dispositions 
of  tyrants,  and  somehow  in  few  things  controlled,  in  most 
absolute,  they  with  difficulty  lay  aside  their  passion.  The 
being  accustomed  then1  to  live  in  mediocrity  of  life  is  the 
better ;  may  it  be  my  lot  then  to  grow  old  if  not  in  splendor, 
at  least  in  security.  For,  in  the  first  place,  even  to  mention 
the  name  of  moderation  carries  with  it  superiority,  but  to 
use  it  is  by  far  the  best  conduct  for  men  ;  but  excess  of  for- 
tune brings  more  power  to  men  than  is  convenient  ;2  and 
has  brought  greater  woes  upon  families,  when  the  Deity  be 
enraged. 

NURSE,  CHORUS. 

CHOR.  I  heard  the  voice,  I  heard  the  cry  of  the  unhappy 
Colchian  ;  is  not  she  yet  appeased  ?  but,  O  aged  matron,  tell 
me ;  for  within  the  apartment  with  double  doors,  I  heard 
her  cry ;  nor  am  I  delighted,  O  woman,  with  the  griefs  of 
the  family,  since  it  is  friendly  to  me. 

NUR.  The  family  is  not ;  these  things  are  gone  already  : 
for  he  possesses  the  bed  of  royalty  ;  but  she,  my  mistress,  is 

1  In  Elms.  Dind.  rd  yap  eiOlaOai,  "for  the  being  accustomed," 
etc. 

2  fvvarat  here  signifies  ivxvsi  aOivei  •  and  in  this  sense  it  is  re- 
peatedly used ;  ovdiva  Kaipdv,  in  this  place,  is  not  to  be  interpre- 
ted " intempestive,"  but  "immoderate,  supra  modum."    For 
this  signification  consult  Siephens's  Thesaurus,  word  xaipdr. 
ELMSLEY. 


!8  MEDEA.  [141-185. 

melting  away  her  life  in  her  chamber,  in  no  way  soothing 
her  mind  by  the  advice  of  any  one  of  her  friends. 

MED.  Alas  !  alas  !  may  the  flame  of  heaven  rush  through 
my  head,  what  profit  for  me  to  live  any  longer.  Alas  !  alas  ! 
may  I  rest  myself  in  death,  having  left  a  hated  life. 

CHOR.  Dost  thou  hear,  O  Jove,  and  earth,  and  light,  the 
cry  which  the  wretched  bride  utters?  why  I  pray  should 
this  insatiable  love  of  the  marriage-bed  hasten  thee,  O  vain 
woman,  to  death  ?  Pray  not  for  this.  But  if  thy  husband 
courts  a  new  bed,  be  not  thus1  enraged  with  him.  Jove  will 
avenge  these  wrongs  for  thee :  waste  not  thyself  so,  bewail- 
ing thy  husband. 

MED.  O  great  Themis  and  revered  Diana,  do  ye  behold 
what  I  suffer,  having  bound  my  accursed  husband  by  power- 
ful oaths  ?  Whom  may  I  at  some  time  see  and  his  bride  torn 
piecemeal  with  their  very  houses,  who  dare  to  injure  me  first. 
O  my  father,  O  my  city,  whom  I  basely  abandoned,  having 
slain  my  brother. 

NUB.  Do  ye  hear  what  she  says,  and  how  she  invokes 
Themis  hearing  the  vow,  and  Jove  who  is  considered  the 
dispenser  of  oaths  to  mortals  ?  It  is  not  possible  that  my 
mistress  will  lull  her  rage  to  rest  under  any  trivial  circum- 
stance. 

CHOR.  By  what  means  could  she  come  into  our  sight,  and 
hear  the  voice  of  our  discourse,  if  she  would  by  any  means 
remit  her  fierce  anger  and  her  fury  of  mind.  Let  not  my 
zeal  however  be  wanting  ever  to  my  friends.  But  go  and  con- 
duct her  hither  from  without  the  house,  my  friend,  and  tell 
her  this  :  hasten,  before  she  injure  in  any  way  those  within, 
for  this  grief  of  hers  is  increased  to  a  great  height. 

NUR.  I  will  do  it,  but  I  fear  that  I  shall  not  persuade  my 

1  Sle  is  used  in  this  sense  v.  49,  687,  901,  of  this  Play. 


186-219.]  MEDEA.  19 

mistress  ;  nevertheless  I  will  give  you  this  favor  of  my  labor. 
And  yet  with  the  aspect  of  a  lioness  that  has  just  brought 
forth  does  she  look  sternly  on  her  attendants  when  any  one 
approaches  near  attempting  to  address  her.  But  thou 
wouldest  not  err  in  calling  men  of  old  foolish  and  nothing 
wise,  who  invented  songs,  for  festivals,  for  banquets,  and  for 
suppers,  the  delights  of  life  that  charm  the  ear  ;  but  no  mor- 
tal has  discovered  how  to  soothe  with  music  and  with  varied 
strains  those  bitter  pangs,  from  which  death  and  dreadful 
misfortunes  overthrow  families.  And  yet  for  men  to  assuage 
these  griefs  with  music  were  gain  ;  but  where  the  plenteous 
banquet  is  furnished,  why  raise  they  the  song  in  vain  ?  for 
the  present  bounty  of  the  feast  brings  pleasure  of  itself  to 
men. 

CHOR.  I  heard  the  dismal  sound  of  groans,  and  in  a  shrill 
voice  she  vents  her  bitter1  anguish  on  the  traitor  to  her  bed, 
her  faithless  husband — and  suffering  wrongs  she  calls  upon 
the  Goddess  Themis,  arbitress  of  oaths,  daughter  of  Jove, 
who  conducted  her  to  the  opposite  coast  of  Greece,  across 
the  sea  by  night,  over  the  salt  straits  of  the  boundless  ocean. 

MEDEA,  CHORUS. 

MED.  Ye  Corinthian  dames,  I  have  come  from  out  my 
palace  ;  do  not  in  any  wise  blame  me ;  for  I  have  known 
many  men  who  have  been2  renowned,  some  who  have  lived 
far  from  public  notice,  and  others  in  the  world  ;  but  those 
of  a  retired  turn  have  gained  for  themselves  a  character  of 
infamy  and  indolence.  For  justice  dwells  not  in  the  eyes  of 

1  ftoyepd  is  best  taken  with  Eeiske  as  the  accusative  plural, 
though  the  Scholiast  considers  it  the  nominative  singular. 
ELMSLEY. 

9  -ycytorcts  need  not  be  translated  as  vo^onevov^,  the  sense  is 
ocraj ;  so  avSddrn  ysywj,  Hue  225. 


20  MEDEA.  [220-249. 

man,1  whoever,  before  he  can  well  discover  the  disposition 
of  a  man,  hates  him  at  sight,  in  no  way  wronged  by  him. 
But  it  is  necessary  for  a  stranger  exactly  to  conform  himself 
to  the  state,  nor  would  I  praise  the  native,  whoever  becom- 
ing self-willed  is  insolent  to  his  fellow-citizens  through  igno- 
rance. But  this  unexpected  event  that  hath  fallen  upon  me 
hath  destroyed  my  spirit :  I  am  going,  and  having  given  up 
the  pleasure  of  life  I  am  desirous  to  meet  death,  my  friends. 
For  he  on  whom  my  all  rested,  as  you  well  know,  my  husband, 
has  turned  out  the  basest  of  men.  But  of  all  thinga  as  many 
as  have  life  and  intellect,  we  women  are  the  most  wretched 
race.  Who  indeed  first  must  purchase  a  husband  with  excess 
of  money,  and  receive  him  a  lord  of  our  persons  ;  for  this  is  a 
still  greater  ill  than  the  former.  And  in  this  is  the  greatest 
risk,  whether  we  receive  a  bad  one  or  a  good  one ;  for  di- 
vorces bring  not  good  fame  to  women,  nor  is  it  possible  to 
repudiate  one's  husband.  But  on  passing  to  new  tempers 
and  new  laws,  one  need  be  a  prophetess,  as  one  can  not  learn 
of  one's  self,  what  sort  of  consort  one  shall  most  likely  expe- 
rience. And  if  with  us  carefully  performing  these  things  a 
husband  shall  dwell  not  imposing  on  us  a  yoke  with  severity, 
enviable  is  our  life ;  if  not,  to  die  is  better.  But  a  man, 
when  he  is  displeased  living  with  those  at  home,  having  gone 
abroad  is  wont  to  relieve  his  heart  of  uneasiness,  having  re- 
course either  to  some  friend  or  compeer.  But  we  must  look 
but  to  one  person.  But  they  say  of  us  that  we  live  a  life  of 
ease  at  home,  but  they  are  fighting  with  the  spear  ;  judging 

1  That  is,  the  character  of  man  can  not  be  discovered  by 
the  countenance:  so  Juvenal, 

Fronti  nulla  fides. 

Sons,  though  in  the  singular  number,  refers  to  ppoit&v  in  the 
plural :  a  similar  construction  is  met  with  in  Homer,  II.  L.  279. 

ovOpuwrovr  rivvvaOv  o  r(j  K'  eiriopKov  <fyi<W>7. 


250-276.]  MEDEA.  21 

ill,  since  I  would  rather  thrice  stand  in  arms,  than  once  suffer 
the  pangs  of  child-birth.  But,  for  the  same  argument  comes 
not  home  to  you  and  me,  this  is  thy  city,  and  thy  father's 
house,  thine  are  both  the  luxuries  of  life,  and  the  society  of 
friends  ;  but  I  being  destitute,  cityless,  am  wronged  by  my 
husband,  brought  as  a  prize  from  a  foreign  land,  having 
neither  mother,  nor  brother,  nor  relation  to  afford  me  shelter 
from  this  calamity.  So  much  then  I  wish  to  obtain  from 
you,  if  any  plan  or  contrivance  be  devised  by  me  to  repay 
with  justice  these  injuries  on  my  husband,  and  on  him  who 
gave  his  daughter,  and  on  her  to  whom  he  was  married,1 
that  you  would  be  silent ;  for  a  woman  in  other  respects  is 
full  of  fear,  and  timid  to  look  upon  deeds  of  courage  and  the 
sword  ;  but  when  she  is  injured  in  her  bed,  no  other  disposi- 
tion is  more  blood-thirsty. 

CHOR.  I  will  do  this  ;  for  with  justice,  Medea,  wilt  thou 
avenge  thyself  on  thy  husband,  and  I  do  not  wonder  that 
you  lament  your  misfortunes.  But  I  see  Creon  monarch  of 
this  laud  advancing,  the  messenger  of  new  counsels. 

CREON,  MEDEA,  CHORUS. 

CRE.  Thee  of  gloomy  countenance,  and  enraged  with  thy 
husband,  Medea,  I  command  to  depart  in  exile  from  out  of 
this  land,  taking  with  thee  thy  two  children,  and  not  to 
delay  in  any  way,  since  I  am  the  arbiter  of  this  edict,  and  I 
will  not  return  back  to  my  palace,  until  I  shall  drive  thee 
beyond  the  boundaries  of  this  realm. 

1  Grammarians  teach  us  that  yajitTv  is  applied  to  the  hus- 
band, yanetaOat  to  the  wife;  and  this  rule  will  generally  be 
found  to  hold  good.  We  must  either  then  read  /?  r'  tyfyaro, 
which  Person  does  not  object  to,  and  Elmsley  adopts ;  or  un- 
derstand tyrijiaro  in  an  ironical  sense,  in  the  spirit  of  Martial's 
Uxori  nubere  nolo  mex :  in  the  latter  case  3  r*  tyij/xaro  should  be 
read  (riot  fiv  r),  as  being  the  proper  syntax. 


22  MEDEA.  [277-308. 

MED.  Alas  !  alas  !  I  wretched  am  utterly  destroyed,  for 
my  enemies  stretch  out  every  cable  against  me  ;  nor  is  there 
any  easy  escape  from  this  evil,  but  I  will  speak,  although 
suffering  injurious  treatment  ;  for  what,  Creon,  dost  thou 
drive  me  from  this  land  ? 

CRE.  I  fear  thee  (there  is  no  need  for  me  to  wrap  my  words 
in  obscurity),  lest  thou  do  my  child  some  irremediable  mis- 
chief. And  many  circumstances  are  in  unison  with  this 
dread.  Thou  art  wise,  -and  skilled  in  many  evil  sciences, 
and  thou  art  exasperated,  deprived  of  thy  husband's  bed. 
And  I  hear  that  thou  threatenest,  as  they  tell  me,  to  wreak 
some  deed  of  vengeance  on  the  betrother,  and  the  espouser 
and  the  espoused  ;  against  this  then,  before  I  suffer,  will  I 
guard.  Better  is  it  for  me  now  to  incur  enmity  from  you, 
than  softened  by  your  words  afterward  greatly  to  lament  it. 

MED.  Alas  !  alas  I  not  now  for  the  first  time,  but  often, 
Creon,  hath  this  opinion  injured  me,  and  worked  me  much 
woe.  But  whatever  man  is  prudent,  let  him  never  educate 
his  children  too  deep  in  wisdom.  ^  For,  independent  of  the 
other  charges  of  idleness  which  they  meet  with,  they  find 
hostile  envy  from  their  fellow-citizens.  For  holding  out  to 
fools  some  new-discovered  wisdom,  thou  wilt  seem  to  be  use- 
less and  not  wise.  And  being  judged  superior  to  others  who 
seem  to  have  some  varied  knowledge,  thou  wilt  appear  of- 
fensive in  the  city.  But  even  I  myself  share  this  fortune  ; 
for  being  wise,  to  some  I  am  an  object  of  envy,  but  to  others 
unsuited  ;  but  I  am  not  very  wise.  Thou  then  fearest  me, 
lest  thou  suffer  some  grievous  mischief.1  My  affairs  are  not 
in  a  state,  fear  me  not,  Creon,  so  as  to  offend  against  princes. 


1  The  primary  signification  of  irA^eXiir  is  dbsonus,  out  of 
tune:  hence  is  easily  deduced  the  signification  in  which  it  is 
often  found  in  Euripides.  The  word  7rA»?/i/teA?jerar  occurs  in  the 
Phcenissse,  1.  1669. 


309-334-]  MEDEA.  23 

For  in  what  hast  thou  injured  me?  Thou  hast  given  thy 
daughter  to  whom  thy  mind  led  thee  ;  but  I  hate  my  hus- 
band :  but  thou,  I  think,  didst  these  things  in  prudence. 
And  now  I  envy  not  that  thy  affairs  are  prospering  ;  make 
your  alliances,  be  successful ;  but  suffer  me  to  dwell  in  this 
land,  for  although  injured  will  I  keep  silence,  overcome  by 
my  superiors. 

CRE.  Thou  speakest  soft  words  to  the  ear,  but  within  my 
mind  I  have  my  fears,  lest  thou  meditate  some  evil  intent. 
And  so  much  the  less  do  I  trust  thee  than  before.  For  a 
woman  that  is  quick  to  anger,  and  a  man  likewise,  is  easier 
to  guard  against,  than  one  that  is  crafty  and  keeps  silence. 
But  begone  as  quick  as  possible,  make  no  more  words  ;  since 
this  is  decreed,  and  thou  hast  no  art,  by  which  thou  wilt 
stay  with  us,  being  hostile  to  me. 

MED.  No  I  beseech  you  by  your  knees,  and  your  newly- 
married  daughter. 

CRE.  Thou  wastest  words ;  for  thou  wilt  never  persuade 
me. 

MED.  "VVilt  thou  then  banish  me,  nor  reverence  my 
prayers  ? 

CRE.  For  I  do  not  love  thee  better  than  my  own  family. 

MED.  O  my  country,  how  I  remember  thee  now  ! 

CRE.  For  next  to  my  children  it  is  much  the  dearest  thing 
to  me. 

MED.  Alas  !  alas  !  how  great  an  ill  is  love  to  man  I 

CRE.  That  is,  I  think,  as  fortune  also  shall  attend  it. 

MED.  Jove,  let  it  not  escape  thine  eye,  who  is  the  cause 
of  these  misfortunes. 

CRE.  Begone,  fond  woman,  and  free  me  from  these  cares. 

MEd.  Care  indeed  ;l  and  do  not  I  experience  cares  ? 

1  Elmsley  approves  of  the  reading  adopted  by  Porson,  though 
he  has  given  iu  his  text 


24  MEDEA.  [335-359- 

CRE.  Quickly  shalt  thou  be  driven  hence  by  force  by  the 
hands  of  my  domestics. 

MED.  No,  I  pray  not  this  at  least  ;  but  I  implore  thee, 
Creon. 

CRE.  Thou  wilt  give  trouble,  woman,  it  seems.1 

MED.  I  will  go  ;  I  dare  not  ask  to  obtain  this  of  you. 

CRE.  Why  then  dost  thou  resist,  and  wilt  not  depart  from 
these  realms  ? 

MED.  Permit  me  to  remain  here  this  one  day,  and  to 
bring  my  purpose  to  a  conclusion,  in  what  way  we  shall  fly, 
and  to  make  provision  for  my  sons,  since  their  father  in  no 
way  regards  providing  for  his  children  ;  but  pity  them,  for 
thou  also  art  the  father  of  children  ;  and  it  is  probable  that 
thou  hast  tenderness  ;  for  of  myself  I  have  no  care  whether 
I  may  suffer  banishment,  but  I  weep  for  them  experiencing 
this  calamity. 

CRE.  My  disposition  is  least  of  all  imperious,  and  through 
feeling  pity  in  many  cases  have  I  injured  myself.  And  now 
I  see  that  I  am  doing  wrong,  O  lady,  but  nevertheless  thou 
shalt  obtain  thy  request  ;  but  this  I  warn  thee,  if  to-morrow's 
light  of  the  God  of  day  shall  behold  thee  and  thy  children 
within  the  confines  of  these  realms,  thou  shalt  die  :  this  word 
is  spoken  in  truth.  But  now  if  thou  must  stay,  remain  here 
yet  one  day,  for  thou  wilt  not  do  any  horrid  deed  of  which 
I  have  dread. 

MEDEA,  CHORUS. 

CHOR.  Unhappy  woman  !  alas  wretched  on  account  of  thy 


irovovfiEv  fifteiSj  K'OV  Tr6vo)v  Kt 

"  We  are  oppressed  with  cares,  and  want  not  other  cares,"  as 
being  more  likelv  to  have  come  from  Euripides.  So  also 
Dindorf. 

1  c5j  eoiKa;  is  here  used  for  the  more  common  expression  toy 

loiKtv.     So  Herodotus,  Clio,    civ.  oil  Travvovrai  ol   A«<5oi,  coj  oiKdcrJ, 
Trpdynara  irapexovrcs,  nat  aiiroi  sxovres.     See  also  Hecuba,  801, 


360-399  ]  MEDEA.  25 

griefs  !  whither  wilt  thou  turn  ?  what  hospitality,  or  house, 
or  country  wilt  thou  find  a  refuge  for  these  ills  ?  how  the 
Deity  hath  led  thee,  Medea,  into  a  pathless  tide  of  woes  ! 

MED.  Ill  hath  it  been  done  on  every  side.  Who  will  gain- 
say it?  but  these  things  are  not  in  this  way,  do  not  yet  think 
it.  Still  is  there  a  contest  for  those  lately  married,  and  to 
those  allied  to  them  no  small  affliction.  For  dost  thou  think 
I  ever  would  have  fawned  upon  this  man,  if  I  were  not  to 
gain  something,  or  form  some  plan  ?  I  would  not  even  have 
addressed  him.  I  would  not  even  have  touched  him  with  my 
hands.  But  he  hath  arrived  at  such  a  height  of  folly,  as  that, 
when  it  was  in  his  power  to  have  crushed  my  plans,  by  banish- 
ing me  from  this  land,  he  hath  granted  me  to  stay  this  day  in 
which  three  of  mine  enemies  will  I  put  to  death,  the  father, 
the  bride,  and  my  husband.  But  having  in  my  power  many 
resources  of  destruction  against  them,  I  know  not,  my  friends, 
which  I  shall  first  attempt.  Whether  shall  I  consume  the 
bridal  house  with  fire,  or  force  the  sharpened  sword  through 
her  heart  having  entered  the  chamber  by  stealth  where  the 
couch  is  spread.  But  one  thing  is  against  me;  if  I  should; 
be  caught  entering  the  house  and  prosecuting  my  plans,  by 
my  death  I  shall  afford  laughter  for  my  foes.  Best  then  is  it 
to  pursue  the  straight  path,  in  which  I  am  most  skilled,  to 
take  them  off  by  poison.  Let  it  be  so.  And  suppose  them 
dead  :  what  city  will  receive  me  ?  What  hospitable  stranger 
affording  a  land  of  safety  and  a  faithful  home  will  protect 
my  person  ?  There  is  none.  Waiting  then  yet  a  little  time, 
if  any  tower  of  safety  shall  appear  to  us,  I  will  proceed  to 
this  murder  in  treachery  and  silence.  But  if  ill  fortune  that 
leaves  me  without  resource  force  me,  I  myself  having  grasped 
the  sword,  although  I  should  die,  will  kill  them,  and  will 
rush  to  the  extreme  height  of  daring.  For  never,  I  swear 
by  my  mistress  whom  I  revere  most  of  all,  and  have  chosen 

2 


26  MEDEA.  [400-438. 

for  my  assistant,  Hecate,  who  dwells  in  the  inmost  recesses 
of  my  house,  shall  any  one  of  them  wring  my  heart  with 
grief  with  impunity.  Bitter  and  mournful  to  them  will  I 
make  these  nuptials,  and  bitter  this  alliance,  and  my  flight 
from  this  land.  But  come,  spare  none  of  these  sciences  in 
which  thou  art  skilled,  Medea,  deliberating  and  plotting. 
Proceed  to  the  deed  of  terror :  now  is  the  time  of  resolution  : 
seest  thou  what  thou  art  suffering?  Ill  doth  it  become  thee 
to  incur  ridicule  from  the  race  of  Sisyphus,  and  from  the 
nuptials  of  Jason,  who  art  sprung  from  a  noble  father,  and 
from  the  sun.  And  thou  art  skilled.  Besides  also  we  wo- 
men are,  by  nature,  to  good  actions  of  the  least  capacity, 
but  the  most  cunning  inventors  of  every  ill. 

CHOE.  The  waters  of  the  hallowed  streams  flow  upward 
to  their  sources,  and  justice  and  everything  is  reversed.  The 
counsels  of  men  are  treacherous,  and  no  longer  is  the  faith  of 
heaven  firm.  But  fame  changes,  so  that  my  sex  may  have 
the  glory.1  Honor  cometh  to  the  female  race ;  no  longer 
shall  opprobrious  fame  oppress  the  women.  But  the  Muses 
shall  cease  from  their  ancient  strains,  from  celebrating  our 
perfidy.  For  Phoebus,  leader  of  the  choir,  gave  not  to  our 
minds  the  heavenly  music  of  the  lyre,  since  they  would  in 
turn  have  raised  a  strain  against  the  race  of  men.  But  time 
of  old  hath  much  to  say  both  of  our  life  and  the  life  of  men. 
But  thou  hast  sailed  from  thy  father's  house  with  maddened 
heart,  having  passed  through  the  double  rocks  of  the  ocean, 
and  thou  dwellest  in  a  foreign  land,  having  lost  the  shelter 
of  thy  widowed  bed,  wretched  woman,  and  art  driven  dis- 

1  Beck  interprets  this  passage,  "Mea  quidem  vitaut  non  ha- 
beat  laudem,  fama  obstat."  Heath  translates  it,  "  Jam  in  con- 
trariam  partem  tendens  fama  efficit,  ut  mea  quoque  vita  laudem 
habeat.  We  are  told  by  the  Scholiast,  that  by  jSiora?  is  to  be 
understood  Qfoiv. 


439-47°-]  MEDEA.  27 

honored  an  exile  from  tliis  land.  The  reverence  of  oaths  is 
gone,  nor  does  shame  any  longer  dwell  in  mighty  Greece, 
but  hath  fled  away  through  the  air.  But  thou  helpless  wo- 
man hast  neither  father's  house  to  afford  you  haven  from 
your  woes,  and  another  more  powerful  queen  of  the  nuptial 
bed  rules  over  the  house. 

JASON,  MEDEA,  CHOKCS. 

JAS.  Not  now  for  the  first  time,  but  often  have  I  perceived 
that  fierce  anger  is  an  irremediable  ill.  For  though  it  was 
in  your  power  to  inhabit  this  land  and  this  house,  bearing 
with  gentleness  the  determination  of  thy  superiors,  by  thy 
rash  words  thou  shalt  be  banished  from  this  land.  And  to 
me  indeed  it  is  of  no  importance ;  never  cease  from  saying 
that  Jason  is  the  worst  of  men.  But  for  what  has  been  said 
by  thee  against  the  royal  family,  think  it  the  greatest  good 
fortune  that  thou  art  punished  by  banishment  only.  I  in- 
deed was  always  employed  in  diminishing  the  anger  of  the 
enraged  princes,  and  was  willing  that  thou  shouldest  remain. 
But  thou  remittest  not  of  thy  folly,  always  reviling  the  rul- 
ing powers  ;  wherefore  thou  shalt  be  banished  from  the  land. 
But  nevertheless  even  after  this  am  I  come,  not  wearied  with 
my  friends,  providing  for  thee,  O  woman,  that  thou  mightest 
not  be  banished  with  thy  children,  either  without  money,  or 
in  want  of  any  thing.  Banishment  draws  many  misfortunes 
with  it.  For  although  thou  hatest  me,  I  never  could  wish 
thee  evil. 

MED.  O  thou  vilest  of  men  (for  this  is  the  greatest  re- 
proach I  have  in  my  power  with  my  tongue  to  tell  thee,  for 
thy  unmanly  cowardice),  hast  thou  come  to  us,  hast  thou 
come,  who  art  most  hateful  ?  This  is  not  fortitude,  or  con- 
fidence, to  look  in  the  face  of  friends  whom  thou  hast  in- 
jured, but  the  worst  of  all  diseases  among  men,  impudence. 


28  MEDEA.  [47i-503- 

But  thou  hast  done  well  in  coming.  For  both  I  shall  be 
lightened  in  my  heart  while  reviling  thee,  and  thou  wilt  be 
pained  at  hearing  me.  But  I  will  first  begin  to  speak  from  the 
first  circumstances.  I  preserved  thee  (as  those  Greeks  well 
know  as  many  as  embarked  with  thee  on  board  the  same  ship 
Argo)  when  sent  to  master  the  fire-breathing  bulls  with  the 
yoke,  and  to  sow  the  fatal  seed  :  and  having  slain  the  dragon 
who  watching  around  the  golden  fleece  guarded  it  with  spiry 
folds,  a  sleepless  guard,  I  raised  up  to  thee  a  light  of  safety. 
But  I  myself  having  betrayed  my  father,  and  my  house, 
came  to  the  Peliotic  lolcos1  with  thee,  with  more  readiness 
than  prudence.  And  I  slew  Pelias  by  a  death  which  it  is 
most  miserable  to  die,  by  the  hands  of  his  own  children, 
and  I  freed  thee  from  every  fear.  And  having  experienced 
these  services  from  me,  thou  vilest  of  men,  thou  hast  be- 
trayed me  and  hast  procured  for  thyself  a  new  bed,  children 
being  born  to  thee,  for  if  thou  wert  still  childless  it  would 
be  pardonable  in  thee  to  be  enamored  of  this  alliance.  But 
the  faith  of  oaths  is  vanished  ;  nor  can  I  discover  whether 
thou  thinkest  that  the  former  Gods  are  not  still  in  power, 
or  whether  new  laws  are  now  laid  down  for  men,  since  thou 
art  at  least  conscious  of  being  perjured  toward  me.  Alas  ! 
this  right  hand  which  thou  hast  often  touched,  and  these 
knees,  since  in  vain  have  I  been  polluted  by  a  wicked  hus- 
band, and  have  failed  in  my  hopes.  Come  (for  I  will  con- 
verse with  thee  as  with  a  friend,  not  expecting  to  receive 
any  benefit  from  thee  at  least,  but  nevertheless  I  will ;  for 
when  questioned  thou  wilt  appear  more  base),  now  whither 
shall  I  turn?  Whether  to  my  father's  house,  which  I  be- 

1  lolcos  was  a  city  of  Thessaly,  distant  about  seven  stadii 
from  the  sea,  where  the  parents  of  Jason  lived:  Pelion  was 
both  a  mountain  and  city  of  Thessaly,  close  to  lolcos ;  whence 
lolcos  is  called  Peliotic. 


504-54°-]  MEDEA.  29 

trayed  for  thee,  and  my  country,  and  came  hither  ?  or  to  the 
miserable  daughters  of  Pelias  ?  friendly  would  they  indeed 
receive  me  in  their  house,  whose  father  I  slew.  For  thus  it 
is :  I  am  in  enmity  with  my  friends  at  home ;  but  those 
whom  I  ought  not  to  injure,  by  obliging  thee,  I  make  my 
enemies.  On  which  account  in  return  for  this  thou  hast 
made  me  to  be  called  happy  by  many  dames  through  Greece, 
and  in  thee  I,  wretch  that  I  am,  have  an  admirable  and 
faithful  husband,  if  cast  out  at  least  I  shall  fly  this  land, 
deserted  by  my  friends,  lonely  with  thy  lonely  children. 
Fair  renown  indeed  to  the  new  married  bridegroom,  that 
his  children  are  wandering  in  poverty,  and  I  also  who  pre- 
served thee.  O  Jove,  why  I  pray  hast  thou  given  to  men 
certain  proofs  of  the  gold  which  is  adulterate,  but  no  mark 
is  set  by  nature  on  the  person  of  men  by  which  one  may 
distinguish  the  bad  man. 

CHOR.  Dreadful  is  that  anger  and  irremediable,  when 
friends  with  friends  kindle  strife. 

JAS.  It  befits  me,  it  seems,  not  to  be  weak  in  argument, 
but  as  the  prudent  pilot  of  a  vessel,  with  all  the  sail  that  can 
be  hoisted,  to  run  from  out  of  thy  violent  abuse,  O  woman. 
But  I,  since  thou  thus  much  vauntest  thy  favors,  think  that 
Venus  alone  both  of  Gods  and  men  was  the  protectress  of 
my  voyage.  But  thou  hast  a  fickle  mind,  but  it  is  an  invid- 
ious account  to  go  through,  how  love  compelled  thee  with 
his  inevitable  arrows  to  preserve  my  life.  But  I  will  not 
follow  up  arguments  with  too  great  accuracy,  for  where  thou 
hast  assisted  me  it  is  well.  Moreover  thou  hast  received 
more  at  least  from  my  safety  than  thou  gavest,  as  I  will 
explain  to  thee.  First  of  all  thou  dwellest  in  Greece  instead 
of  a  foreign  land,  and  thou  learnest  what  justice  is,  and  to 
enjoy  laws,  not  to  be  directed  by  mere  force.  And  all  the 
Grecians  have  seen  that  thou  art  wise,  and  thou  hast  re- 


3o  MEDEA.  [541-574- 

nown  ;  but  if  thou  weft  dwelling  in  the  extreme  confines  of 
that  land,  there  would  not  have  been  fame  of  thee.  But 
may  neither  gold  in  my  house  be  my  lot,  nor  to  attune  the 
strain  more  sweet  than  Orpheus,  if  my  fortune  be  not  con- 
spicuous. So  much  then  have  I  said  of  my  toils  ;  for  thou 
first  broughtest  forward  this  contest  of  words.  But  with 
regard  to  those  reproaches  which  thou  heapest  on  me  for 
my  royal  marriage,  in  this  will  I  show  first  that  I  have  been 
wise,  in  the  next  place  moderate,  thirdly  a  great  friend  to 
thee,  and  my  children  :  but  be  silent.  After  I  had  come 
hither  from  the  lolcian  land  bringing  with  me  many  griev- 
ous calamities,  what  measure  more  fortunate  than  this  could 
I  have  invented,  than,  an  exile  as  I  was,  to  marry  the 
daughter  of  the  monarch  ?  Not,  by  which  thou  art  grated, 
loathing  thy  bed,  nor  smitten  with  desire  of  a  new  bride, 
nor  having  emulation  of  a  numerous  offspring,  for  those  born 
to  me  are  sufficient,  nor  do  I  find  fault  with  that ;  but  that 
(which  is  of  the  greatest  consequence)  we  might  live  hon- 
orably, and  might  not  be  in  want,  knowing  well  that  every 
friend  flies  out  of  the  way  of  a  poor  man  ;  and  that  I  might 
bring  up  my  children  worthy  of  my  house,  and  that  having 
begotten  brothers  to  those  children  sprung  from  thee,  I  might 
place  them  on  the  same  footing,  and  having  united  the 
family,  I  might  flourish  ;  for  both  thou  hast  some  need  of 
children,  and  to  me  it  were  advantageous  to  advance  my 
present  progeny  by  means  of  the  children  which  might 
arise;  have  I  determined  ill?  not  even  thou  couldest  say 
so,  if  thy  bed  did  not  gall  thee.  But  thus  far  have  you 
come,  that  your  bed  being  safe,  you  women  think  that  you 
have  every  thing.  But  if  any  misfortune  befall  that,  the 
most  excellent  and  fairest  objects  you  make  the  most  hate- 
ful. It  were  well  then  that  men  should  generate  children 
from  some  other  source,  and  that  the  female  race  should  not 


575-599-]  MEDEA.  31 

exist,  and  thus  there  would  not  have  been  any  evil  among 
men.1 

CHOR.  Jason,  thou  hast  well  adorned  these  arguments  of 
thine,  but  nevertheless  to  me,  although  I  speak  reluctantly, 
thou  appearest,  in  betraying  thy  wife,  to  act  unjustly. 

MED.  Surely  I  am  in  many  things  different  from  many 
mortals,  for  in  my  judgment,  whatever  man  being  unjust,  is 
deeply  skilled  in  argument,  merits  the  severest  punishment. 
For  vaunting  that  with  his  tongue  he  can  well  gloze  over  in- 
justice, he  dares  to  work  deceit,  but  he  is  not  over-wise. 
Thus  do  not  thou  also  be  now  plausible  to  me,  nor  skilled  in 
speaking,  for  one  word  will  overthrow  thee :  it  behooved  thee, 
if  thou  wert  not  a  bad  man,  to  have  contracted  this  marriage 
having  persuaded  me,  and  not  without  the  knowledge  of  thy 
friends. 

JAS.  Well  wouldest  thou  have  lent  assistance  to  this  re- 
port, if  I  had  mentioned  the  marriage  to  thee,  who  not  even 
now  endurest  to  lay  aside  this  unabated  rage  of  heart. 

MED.  This  did  not  move  thee,  but  a  foreign  bed  would 
lead  in  its  result  to  an  old  age  without  honor. 

JAS.  Be  well  assured  of  this,  that  I  did  not  form  this  alli- 
ance with  the  princess,  which  I  now  hold,  for  the  sake  of  the 
woman,  but,  as  I  said  before  also,  wishing  to  preserve  thee, 
and  to  beget  royal  children  brothers  to  my  sons,  a  support 
to  our  house. 

MED.  Let  not  a  splendid  life  of  bitterness  be  my  lot,  nor 
wealth,  which  rends  my  heart. 

1  For  the  same  sentiment  more  fully  expressed,  see  Hippo- 
lytus,  616-625.    See  also  Paradise  Lost,  x.  890. 
O,  why  did  God, 

Creator  wise,  that  peopled  highest  heaven 
With  spirits  masculine,  create  at  last 
This  novelty  on  earth,  this  fair  defect 
Of  nature,  and  not  fill  the  world  at  once 
With  men,  as  augels,  without  feminine? 


32  MEDEA.  [600-632. 

JAS.  Dost  thou  know  how  to  alter  thy  prayers,  and  appear 
wiser?  Let  not  good  things  ever  seem  to  you  bitter,  nor 
when  in  prosperity  seem  to  be  in  adversity. 

MED.  Insult  me,  since  thou  hast  refuge,  but  I  destitute 
shall  fly  this  land. 

JAS.  Thou  chosest  this  thyself,  blame  no  one  else. 

MED.  By  doing  what?  by  marrying  and  betraying  thee? 

JAS.  By  imprecating  unhallowed  curses  on  the  royal 
family. 

MED.  From  thy  house  at  least  am  I  laden  with  curses. 

JAS.  I  will  not  dispute  more  of  this  with  thee.  But  if 
thou  wishest  to  receive  either  for  thyself  or  children  any  part 
of  my  wealth  as  an  assistant  on  thy  flight,  speak,  since  I  am 
ready  to  give  with  an  unsparing  hand,  and  to  send  tokens  of 
hospitality  to  my  friends,  who  will  treat  you  well ;  and  re- 
fusing these  thou  wilt  be  foolish,  woman,  but  ceasing  from 
thine  anger,  thou  wilt  gain  better  treatment. 

MED.  I  will  neither  use  thy  friends,  nor  will  I  receive 
aught ;  do  not  give  to  me,  for  the  gifts  of  a  bad  man  bring 
no  assistance. 

JAS.  Then  I  call  the  Gods  to  witness,  that  I  wish  to  assist 
thee  and  thy  children  in  every  thing  ;  but  good  things  please 
thee  not,  but  thou  rejectest  thy  friends  with  audacity,  where- 
fore shalt  thou  grieve  the  more. 

MED.  Begone,  for  thou  art  captured  by  desire  of  thy  new 
bride,  tarrying  so  long  without  the  palace ;  wed  her,  for 
perhaps,  but  with  the  assistance  of  the  God  shall  it  be  said, 
thou  wilt  make  such  a  marriage  alliance,  as  thou  wilt  here- 
after wish  to  renounce. 

CHOR.  The  loves,  when  they  come  too  impetuously,  have 
given  neither  good  report  nor  virtue  among  men,  but  if 
Venus  come  with  moderation,  no  other  Goddess  is  so  benign. 
Never,  O  my  mistress,  mayest  thou  send  forth  against  me 


633-672.]  MEDEA.  33 

from  thy  golden  bow  thy  inevitable  shaft,  having  steeped  it 
in  desire.  But  may  temperance  preserve  me,  the  noblest 
gift  of  heaven  ;  never  may  dreaded  Venus,  having  smitten 
my  mind  for  another's  bed,  heap  upon  me  jealous  passions 
and  unabated  quarrels,  but  approving  the  peaceful  union, 
may  she  quick  of  perception  sit  in  judgment  on  the  bed  of 
women.  O  my  country,  and  my  house,  never  may  I  be  an 
outcast  of  my  city,  having  a  life  scarce  to  be  endured  through 
poverty,  the  most  lamentable  of  all  woes.  By  death,  by 
death,  may  I  before  that  be  subdued,  having  lived  to  accom- 
plish that  day  ;  but  no  greater  misfortune  is  there  than  to  be 
deprived  of  one's  paternal  country.  We  have  seen  it,  nor 
have  we  to  speak  from  others'  accounts  ;  for  thee,  neither 
city  nor  friend  hath  pitied,  though  suffering  the  most  dread- 
ful anguish.  Thankless  may  he  perish  who  desires  not  to 
assist  his  friends,  having  unlocked  the  pure  treasures  of  his 
mind  ;  never  shall  he  be  friend  to  me. 


s,  MEDEA,  CHORUS. 

SjQ.  Medea,  hail  !  for  no  one  hath  known  a  more  honor- 
able salutation  to  address  to  friends  than  this. 

MED.  Hail  thou  also,  son  of  the  wise  Pandion,  JEgeus, 
coming  from  what  quarter  dost  thou  tread  the  plain  of  this 
land? 

jEa.  Having  left  the  ancient  oracle  of  Phoebus. 

MED.  But  wherefore  wert  thou  sent  to  the  prophetic  cen- 
tre of  the  earth  ? 

jEo.  Inquiring  of  the  God  how  offspring  may  arise  to  me  ? 

MED.  By  the  Gods,  tell  me,  dost  thou  live  this  life  hith- 
erto childless  ? 

JEiQ.  Childless  I  am,  by  the  disposal  of  some  deity. 

MED.  Hast  thon  a  wife,  or  knowest  thou  not  the  marriage- 
bed? 

2* 


34  MEDEA.  [675-695. 

JE.G.  I  am  not  destitute  of  the  connubial  bed. 

MED.  What  then  did  Apollo  tell  thee  respecting  thy  off- 
spring ? 

1E>Q.  Words  deeper  than  a  man  can  form  opinion  of. 

MED.  Is  it  allowable  for  me  to  know  the  oracle  of  the 
God? 

^Eo.  Certainly,  inasmuch  as  it  needs  also  a  deep-skilled 
mind. 

MED.  What  then  did  he  say  ?    Speak,  if  I  may  hear. 

JE&.  That  I  was  not  to  loose  the  projecting  foot  of  the 
vessel — 

MED.  Before  thou  didst  what,  or  came  to  what  land  ? 

^Eo.  Before  I  revisit  my  paternal  hearth. 

MED.  Then  as  desiring  what  dost  thou  direct  thy  voyage 
to  this  land  ? 

JSG.  There  is  one  Pittheus,  king  of  the  country  of  Tra- 
zene. 

MED.  The  most  pious  son,  as  report  says,  of  Pelops. 

J2G.  To  him  I  wish  to  communicate  the  oracle  of  the 
God. 

MED.  For  he  is  a  wise  man,  and  versed  in  such  matters. 

uEo.  And  to  me  at  least  the  dearest  of  all  my  friends  in 
war. 

MED.  Mayest  thou  prosper,  and  obtain  what  thou  desirest. 

./EG.  But  why  is  thine  eye  and  thy  color  thus  faded  ? 

MED.  JEgeus,  my  husband  is  the  worst  of  all  men. 

MG.  What  sayest  thou  ?  tell  me  all  thy  troubles. 

MED.  Jason  wrongs  me,  having  never  suffered  wrong  from 
nie. 

^Eo.  Having  done  what?  tell  me  more  clearly. 

MED.  He  hath  here  a  wife  besides  me,  mistress  of  the 
house. 

JSjQ,  Hath  he  dared  to  commit  this  disgraceful  action? 


696-721.]  MEDEA.  35 

MED.  Be  assured  he  lias  ;  but  we  his  former  friends  are 
dishonored. 

jEa.  Enamored  of  her,  or  hating  thy  bed  ? 

MED.  [Smitten  with]  violent  love  indeed,  he  was  faith- 
less to  his  friends. 

./EG.  Let  him  perish  then,  since,  as  you  say,  he  is  a  bad 
man. 

MED.  He  was  charmed  to  receive  an  alliance  with 
princes. 

.<EG.  And  who  gives  the  bride  to  him?  finish  the  account, 
I  beg. 

MED.  Creon,  who  is  monarch  of  this  Corinthian  land. 

JE,G.  Pardonable  was  it  then  that  thou  art  grieved,  O  lady. 

MED.  I  perish,  and  in  addition  to  this  am  I  banished  from 
this  land. 

JE&.  By  whom  ?  thou  art  mentioning  another  fresh  mis- 
fortune. 

MED.  Creon  drives  me  an  exile  out  of  this  land  of  Corinth. 

JE&.  And  does  Jason  suffer  it?    I  praise  not  this. 

MED.  By  his  words  he  does  not,  but  at  heart  he  wishes  [to 
endure  my  banishment]:  but  by  this  thy  beard  I  entreat 
thee,  and  by  these  thy  knees,  and  I  become  thy  suppliant, 
pity  me,  pity  this  unfortunate  woman,  nor  behold  me  going 
forth  in  exile  abandoned,  but  receive  me  at  thy  hearth  in  thy 
country  and  thy  house.  Thus  by  the  Gods  shall  thy  desire 
of  children  be  accomplished  to  thee,  and  thou  thyself  shalt 
die  in  happiness.  But  thou  knowest  not  what  this  fortune  is 
that  thou  hast  found  ;  but  I  will  free  thee  from  being  child- 
less, and  I  will  cause  thee  to  raise  up  offspring,  such  charms 
I  know. 

./Bo.  On  many  accounts,  O  lady,  am  I  willing  to  confer  this 
favor  on  thee,first  on  account  of  the  Gods,  then  of  the  children, 
whose  birth  thou  holdest  forth;  for  on  this  point  else  I  am 


36  MEDEA.  [722-751. 

totally  sunk  in  despair.  But  thus  am  I  determined  :  if  thou 
comest  to  my  country,  I  will  endeavor  to  receive  thee  with 
hospitality,  being  a  just  man;  so  much  however  I  before- 
hand apprise  thee  of,  O  lady,  I  shall  not  be  willing  to  lead 
thee  with  me  from  this  land  ;  but  if  thou  comest  thyself  to  my 
house,  thou  shalt  stay  there  in  safety,  and  to  no  one  will  I 
give  thee  up.  But  do  thou  of  thyself  withdraw  thy  foot  from 
this  country,  for  I  wish  to  be  without  blame  even  among 
strangers. 

MED.  It  shall  be  BO,  but  if  there  was  a  pledge  of  this  given 
to  me,  I  should  have  all  things  from  thee  in  a  noble  manner. 

-<EG.  Dost  thou  not  trust  me ?  what  is  thy  difficulty? 

MED.  I  trust  thee ;  but  the  house  of  Pelias  is  mine  enemy, 
and  Creon  too  ;  to  these  then,  wert  thou  bound  by  oaths,  thou 
wouldest  not  give  me  up  from  the  country,  should  they  at- 
tempt to  drag  me  thence.  But  having  agreed  by  words  alone, 
and  without  calling  the  Gods  to  witness,  thou  mightest  be 
their  friend,  and  perhaps1  be  persuaded  by  an  embassy  ;  for 
weak  is  my  state,  but  theirs  are  riches,  and  a  royal  house. 

JEo.  Thou  hast  spoken  much  prudence,  O  lady.  But  if  it 
seems  fit  to  thee  that  I  should  do  this,  I  refuse  not.  For  to 
me  also  this  seems  the  safest  plan,  that  I  should  have  some 
pretext  to  show  to  your  enemies,  and  thy  safety  is  better 
secured  ;  propose  the  Gods  that  I  am  to  invoke. 

MED.  Swear  by  the  earth,  and  by  the  sun  the  father  of  my 
father,  and  join  the  whole  race  of  Gods. 

JEa.  That  I  will  do  what  thing,  or  what  not  do  ?  speak. 

MED.  That  thou  wilt  neither  thyself  ever  cast  me  forth 
from  out  of  thy  country,  nor,  if  any  one  of  my  enemies  desire 
to  drag  me  thence,  that  thou  wilt,  while  living,  give  me  up 
willingly. 

1  Person  rightly  reads  rdx'  av  viQoio  with  Wyttenbach, 


752-779.]  MEDEA.  37 

JE.G.  I  swear  by  the  earth,  and  the  hallowed  majesty 
of  the  sun,  and  by  all  the  (Sods,  to  abide  by  what  I  hear 
from  thee. 

MED.  It  is  sufficient :  but  what  wilt  thou  endure  shouldest 
thou  not  abide  by  this  oath  ? 

,/Eo.  That  which  befalls  impious  men. 

MED.  Go  with  blessings  ;  for  every  thing  is  well.  And  I 
will  come  as  quick  as  possible  to  thy  city,  having  performed 
what  I  intend,  and  having  obtained  what  I  desire. 

CHOR.  But  may  the  son  of  Maia  the  king,  the  guide,  con- 
duct thee  safely  to  thy  house,  and  the  plans  of  those  things, 
which  thou  anxiously  keepest  in  thy  mind,  mayest  thou  bring 
to  completion,  since,  J3geus,  thou  hast  appeared  to  us  to  be 
a  noble  man. 

MEDEA,  CnoRrs. 

MED.  O  Jove,  and  thou  vengeance  of  Jove,  and  thou  light 
of  the  sun,  now,  my  friends,  shall  I  obtain  a  splendid  victory 
over  my  enemies,  and  I  have  struck  into  the  path.  Now  is 
there  hope  that  my  enemies  will  suffer  punishment.  For  this 
man,  where  I  was  most  at  a  loss,  hath  appeared  a  harbor  to  my 
plans.  From  him  will  I  make  fast  my  cable  from  the  stern, 
having  come  to  the  town  and  citadel  of  Pallas.  But  now  will 
I  communicate  all  my  plans  to  thee ;  but  receive  my  words 
not  as  attuned  to  pleasure.  Having  sent  one  of  my  domestics, 
I  will  ask  Jason  to  come  into  my  presence  ;  and  when  he  is 
come,  I  will  address  gentle  words  to  him,  as  that  it  appears 
to  me  that  these  his  actions  are  both  honorable,  and  are 
advantageous  and  well  determined  on.1  And  I  will  entreat 

1  Elmsley  has 

"  o>f  xal  loicct  pot  ravra,  xal  *aX<i>;  txtiv 
yd/jouj  Tvpavixav,  ov;  wpoSov;  fi/irjf  f\ei,  , 

Kal  ^Vfttpop'  etpai,  KOI  (ca.Xcoj  iyvwafteva." 

"  that  these  things  appear  good  to  me,  and  that  the  alliance  with  the 


38  MEDEA.  [780-810. 

him  that  my  sons  may  stay  ;  not  that  I  would  leave  my  chil- 
dren in  a  hostile  country  for  my'enemies  to  insult,  but  that  by 
deceit  I  may  slay  the  king's  daughter.  For  I  will  send  them 
bearing  presents  in  their  hands,  both  a  fine-wrought  robe,  and 
a  golden-twined  wreath.1  And  if  she  take  the  ornaments  and 
place  them  round  her  person,  she  shall  perish  miserably, 
and  every  one  who  shall  touch  the  damsel ;  with  such  charms 
will  I  anoint  the  presents.  Here  however  I  finish  this  ac- 
count ;  but  I  bewail  the  deed  such  as  must  next  be  done  by 
me  ;  for  I  shall  slay  my  children  ;  there  is  no  one  who  shall 
rescue  them  from  me  ;  and  having  heaped  in  ruins  the  whole 
house  of  Jason,  I  will  go  from  out  this  land,  flying  the  murder 
of  my  dearest  children,  and  having  dared  a  deed  most  unhal- 
lowed. For  it  is  not  to  be  borne,  my  friends,  to  be  derided 
by  one's  enemies.  Let  things  take  their  course  ;  what  gain  is 
it  to  me  to  live  longer  ?  I  have  neither  country,  nor  house, 
nor  refuge  from  my  ills.  Then  erred  I,  when  I  left  my 
father's  house,  persuaded  by  the  words  of  a  Grecian  man, 
who  with  the  will  of  the  Gods  shall  suffer  punishment  from 
me.  For  neither  shall  he  ever  hereafter  behold  the  chil- 
dren he  had  by  me  alive,  nor  shall  he  raise  a  child  by  his 
new  wedded  wife,  since  it  is  fated  that  the  wretch  should 
wretchedly  perish  by  my  spells.  Let  no  one  think  me  mean- 
spirited  and  weak,  nor  of  a  gentle  temper,  but  of  a  contrary 
disposition,  to  my  foes  relentless,  and  to  my  friends  kind : 
for  the  lives  of  such  sort  are  most  glorious. 

princess,  which  he,  having  forsaken  me,  has  contracted,  are  both  advan- 
tageous and  well  determined  on."    So  also  Diad.  but  K-aAuy  exsi. 
Parson  omits  the  line. 
1  In  Elmsley  this  line  is  omitted,  and  instead  of  it  is  inserted 

"  fv^<py  tyipovras,  rrjvSe  pri  Qsv-ystv  xMva." 

"  offering  them  to  the  bride,  that  they  may  not  be  banished  from  this 
country,"  which  Dindorf  retains,  and  brackets  the  other. 


811-847.]  MEDEA.  39 

CHOR.  Since  thou  hast  communicated  this  plan  to  me,  de- 
sirous both  of  doing  good  to  thee,  and  assisting  the  laws  of 
mortals,  I  dissuade  thee  from  doing  this. 

MED.  It  can  not  be  otherwise,  but  it  is  pardonable  in  thee 
to  say  this,  not  suffering  the  cruel  treatment  that  I  do. 

CHOR.  But  wilt  thou  dare  to  slay  thy  two  sons,  O  lady  ? 

MED.  For  in  this  way  will  my  husband  be  most  afflicted. 

CHOR.  But  tkou  at  least  wilt  be  the  most  wretched  woman. 

MED.  Be  thaHis  it  may  :  all  intervening  words  are  super- 
fluous ;  but  go,  hasten,  and  bring  Jason  hither  ;  for  I  make 
use  of  thee  in  all  matters  of  trust.  And  thou  wilt  mention 
nothing  of  the  plans  determined  on  by  me,  if  at  least  thou 
meanest  well  to  thy  mistress,  and  art  a  woman. 

CHOR.  The  Athenians  happy  of  old,  and  the  descendants 
of  the  blessed  Gods,  feeding  on  the  most  exalted  wisdom  of 
a  country  sacred  and  unconquered,  always  tripping  elegantly 
through  the  purest  atmosphere,  where  they  say  that  of  old 
the  golden-haired  Harmonia  gave  birth  to  the  chaste  nine 
Pierian  Muses. l  And  they  report  also  that  Venus  drawing 
in  her  breath  from  the  stream  of  the  fair-flowing  Cephisus, 
breathed  over  their  country  gentle  sweetly-breathing  gales  of 
air ;  and  always  entwining  in  her  hair  the  fragrant  wreath 
of  roses,  sends  the  loves  as  assessors  to  wisdom  ;  the  assist- 
ants of  every  virtue.  How  then  will  the  city  of  hallowed 
rivers,2  or  the  country  which  conducts  thee  to  friends,  re- 

1  Although  the  Scholiast  reprobates  this  interpretation,  it 
seems  to  be  the  best,  nor  is  it  any  objection,  that  yivr^ioavvrt  ia 
elsewhere  represented  as  the  Mother  of  the  Muses ;  so  much  at 
variance  is  the  poetry  of  Euripides  with  the  received  mytho- 
logy of  the  ancients. — ELMSLEY. 

2  The  construction  is  jrdXir  Ispwv  Trorafiuv  •  thus  Thebes,  Phoe- 
nis.  1.  831,  is  called  rtipyor  (5i<5w//a>i/  n-ora^ajv.    A  like  expression 
occurs  in  2  Sam.  xii.  27.     I  have  fought  against  Kabbah,  and 
have  taken  the  city  of  waters,  v6\ii>  TWV  tcJdnof  in  the  Septuagint 
version. 


40  MEDEA.  [848-882. 

ceive  the  murderer  of  her  children,  the  unholy  one !  Con- 
sider in  conjunction  with  others  of  the  slaughter  of  thy  chil- 
dren, consider  what  a  murder  thou  wilt  undertake.  Do  not 
by  thy  knees,  by  every  plea,1  by  every  prayer,  we  entreat 
you,  do  not  murder  your  children ;  but  how  wilt  thou  ac- 
quire confidence  either  of  mind  or  hand  or  in  heart  against 
thy  children,  attempting  a  dreadful  deed  of  boldness?  But 
how,  having  darted  thine  eyes  upon  thy  children,  wilt  thou 
endure  the  perpetration  of  the  murder  without  tears  ?  Thou 
wilt  not2  be  able,  when  thy  children  fall  suppliant  at  thy  feet, 
to  imbrue  thy  savage  hand  in  their  wretched  life-blood. 

JASON,  MEDEA,  CHORUS. 

JAS.  I  am  come,  by  thee  requested  ;  for  although  thou  art 
enraged,  thou  shall  not  be  deprived  of  this  at  least ;  but  I 
will  hear  what  new  service  thou  dost  desire  of  me,  lady. 

MED.  Jason,  I  entreat  you  to  be  forgiving  of  what  has 
been  said,  but  right  is  it  that  you  should  bear  with  my 
anger,  since  many  friendly  acts  have  been  done  by  us  two. 
But  I  reasoned  with  myself  and  rebuked  myself ;  wayward 
woman,  why  am  I  maddened  and  am  enraged  with  those  who 
consult  well  for  me  ?  and  why  am  I  in  enmity  with  the 
princes  of  the  land  and  with  my  husband,  who  is  acting  in 
the  most  advantageous  manner  for  us,  having  married  a 
princess,  and  begetting  brothers  to  my  children?  Shall  I 
not  cease  from  my  rage  ?  What  injury  do  I  suffer,  the  Gods 
providing  well  for  me  ?  Have  I  not  children  ?  And  I  know 
that  I  am  flying  the  country,  and  am  in  want  of  friends. 
Eevolving  this  in  my  mind  I  perceive  that  I  had  much  im- 
prudence, and  was  enraged  without  reason.  Now  then  I 

1  Elmsley  reads  Ttavrer,  "we  all  entreat  thee."    So  Dindorf. 

2  Elmsley  reads  n  iwaaet  with  the  note  of  interrogation  after 
Ovpw;  "  or  how  wilt  thou  be  able,''  etc. 


883-9 i 7-]  MEDEA.  41 

approve  of  this,  and  thou  appearest  to  me  to  be  prudent, 
having  added  this  alliance  to  us  ;  but  I  was  foolish,  who 
ought  to  share  in  these  plans,  and  to  join  in  adorning  and 
to  stand  by  the  bed,  and  to  delight  with  thee  that  thy 
bride  was  enamored  of  thee  ;  but  we  women  are  as  we  are, 
I  will  not  speak  evil  of  the  sex  ;  wherefore  it  is  not  right 
that  you  should  put  yourself  on  an  equality  with  the  evil, 
nor  repay  folly  for  folly.  I  give  up,  and  say  that  then 
I  erred  in  judgment,  but  now  I  have  determined  on  these 
things  better.  O  my  children,  my  children,  come  forth, 
leave  the  house,  come  forth,  salute,  and  address  your  father 
with  me,  and  be  reconciled  to  your  friends  from  your  former 
hatred  together  with  your  mother.  For  there  is  amity  be- 
tween us,  and  my  rage  hath  ceased.  Take  his  right  hand. 
Alas !  my  misfortunes ;  how  I  feel  some  hidden  ill  in  my 
mind !  Will  ye,  my  children,  in  this  manner,  and  for  a  long 
time  enjoying  life,  stretch  out  your  dear  hands  ?  Wretch 
that  I  am  !  how  near  am  I  to  weeping  and  full  of  fear  ! — 
But  at  last  canceling  this  dispute  with  your  father,  I  have 
filled  thus  my  tender  sight  with  tears. 

CHOR.  In  my  eyes  also  the  moist  tear  is  arisen  ;  and  may 
not  the  evil  advance  to  a  greater  height  than  it  is  at 
present. 

JAS.  I  approve  of  this,  lady,  nor  do  I  blame  the  past ;  for 
it  is  reasonable  that  the  female  sex  be  enraged  with  a  hus- 
band who  barters  them  for  another  union. — But  thy  heart 
has  changed  to  the  more  proper  side,  and  thou  hast  discov- 
ered, but  after  some  time,  the  better  counsel :  these  are  the 
actions  of  a  wise  woman.  But  for  you,  my  sons,  your  father 
not  without  thought  hath  formed  many  provident  plans, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  Gods.  For  I  think  that  you  will 
be  yet  the  first  in  this  Corinthian  country,  together  with 
your  brothers.  But  advance  and  prosper :  and  the  rest 


42  MEDEA.  [918-947. 

your  father,  and  whatever  God  is  propitious,  will  effect.  And 
may  I  behold  you  blooming  arrive  at  the  prime  of  youth, 
superior  to  my  enemies.  And  thou,  why  dost  thou  bedew 
thine  eyes  with  the  moist  tear,  having  turned  aside  thy 
white  cheek,  and  why  dost  thou  not  receive  these  words 
from  me  with  pleasure  ? 

MED.  It  is  nothing.     I  was  thinking  of  my  sons. 

JAS.  Be  of  good  conrage ;  for  I  will  arrange  well  for 
them. 

MED.  I  will  be  so,  I  will  not  mistrust  thy  words ;  but  a 
woman  is  of  soft  mould,  and  was  born  to  tears. 

JAS.  Why,  I  pray,  dost  thou  so  grieve  for  thy  children  ? 

MED.  I  brought  them  into  the  world,  and  when  thou 
wert  praying  that  thy  children  might  live,  a  feeling  of  pity 
came  upon  me  if  that  would  be.  But  for  what  cause  thou 
hast  come  to  a  conference  with  me,  partly  hath  been  ex- 
plained, but  the  other  reasons  I  will  mention.  Since  it  ap- 
peareth  fit  to  the  royal  family  to  send  me  from  this  country, 
for  me  also  this  appears  best,  I  know  it  well,  that  I  might 
not  dwell  here,  a  check  either  to  thee  or  to  the  princes  of 
the  land  ;  for  I  seem  to  be  an  object  of  enmity  to  the  house  ; 
I  indeed  will  set  out  from  this  land  in  flight ;  but  to  the  end 
that  the  children  may  be  brought  up  by  thy  hand,  entreat 
Creon  that  they  may  not  leave  this  land. 

JAS.  I  know  not  whether  I  shall  persuade  him ;  but  it  is 
right  to  try. 

MED.  But  do  thou  then  exhort  thy  bride  to  ask  her  father, 
that  my  children  may  not  leave  this  country. 

JAS.  Certainly  I  will,  and  I  think  at  least  that  she  will 
persuade  him,  if  indeed  she  be  one  of  the  female  sex. 

MED.  I  also  will  assist  you  in  this  task,  for  I  will  send  to 
her  presents  which  (I  well  know)  far  surpass  in  beauty  any 
now  among  men,  both  a  fine-wrought  robe,  and  a  golden- 


948-977-]  MEDEA.  43 

twined  chaplet,  my  sons  carrying  them.  But  as  quick  as 
possible  let  one  of  my  attendants  bring  hither  these  orna- 
ments. Thy  bride  shall  be  blessed  not  in  one  instance,  but 
in  many,  having  met  with  you  at  least  the  best  of  husbands, 
and  possessing  ornaments  which  the  sun  my  father's  father 
once  gave  to  his  descendants.  Take  these  nuptial  presents, 
my  sons,  in  your  hands,  and  bear  and  present  them  to  the 
blessed  royal  bride ;  she  shall  receive  gifts  not  indeed  to  be 
despised. 

JAS.  Why,  O  fond  woman,  dost  thou  rob  thy  hands  of 
these ;  thinkest  thou  that  the  royal  palace  is  in  want  of 
vests  ?  in  want  of  gold  ?  keep  these  presents,  give  them  not 
away  ;  for  if  the  lady  esteems  me  of  any  value,  she  will  pre- 
fer pleasing  me  to  riches,  I  know  full  well. 

MED.  But  do  not  oppose  me ;  gifts,  they  say,  persuade 
even  the  Gods,1  and  gold  is  more  powerful  than  a  thousand 
arguments  to  men.  Hers  is  fortune,  her  substance  the  God 
now  increases,  she  in  youth  governs  all.  But  the  sentence 
of  banishment  on  my  children  I  would  buy  off  with  my  life, 
not  with  gold  alone.  But  my  children,  enter  you  the 
wealthy  palace,  to  the  new  bride  of  your  father,  and  my 
mistress,  entreat  her,  beseech  her,  that  you  may  not  leave 
the  land,  presenting  these  ornaments  ;  but  this  is  of  the 
greatest  consequence,  that  she  receive  these  gifts  in  her  own 
hand.  Go  as  quick  as  possible,  and  may  you  be  bearers  of 
good  tidings  to  your  mother,  in  what  she  desires  to  obtain, 
having  succeeded  favorably. 

CHOK.  Now  no  longer  have  I  any  hope  of  life  for  the  chil- 
dren, no  longer  [is  there  hope]  :  for  already  are  they  going 

1  An  allusion  to  that  well-known  saying  in  Plato,  de  Eepub.  1. 
3.  A<5pa  0tovr  Trcidti,  dup'  ai'Joiour  /Sao-iXrjar.  Ovid  de  Arte  Am.  iiL 
635. 

Munera,  crede  mihi,  capiunt  homiiiesque  deosque. 


44  MEDEA.  [978-1010. 

to  death.  The  bride  shall  receive  the  destructive  present  of 
the  golden  chaplet,  she  wretched  shall  receive  them,  and 
around  her  golden  tresses  shall  she  place  the  attire  of  death, 
having  received  the  presents  in  her  hands.  The  beauty  and 
the  divine  glitter  of  the  robe  will  persuade  her  to  place 
around  her  head  the  golden-wrought  chaplet.  Already  with 
the  dead  shall  the  bride  be  adorned  ;  into  such  a  net  will 
she  fall,  and  such  a  destiny  will  she,  hapless  woman,  meet 
with  ;  nor  will  she  escape  her  fate.  But  thou,  oh  unhappy 
man !  oh  wretched  bridegroom !  son-in-law  of  princes,  un- 
knowingly thou  bringest  on  thy  children  destruction,  and  on 
thy  wife  a  bitter  death  ;  hapless  man,  how  much  art  thou 
fallen  from  thy  state  I1  But  I  lament  for  thy  grief,  O  wretch, 
mother  of  these  children,  who  wilt  murder  thy  sons  on  ac- 
count of  a  bridal-bed  ;  deserting  which,  in  defiance  of  thee, 
thy  husband  dwells  with  another  wife. 

TUTOR,  MEDEA,  CHORUS. 

TUT.  Thy  sons,  my  mistress,  are  reprieved  from  banish- 
ment, and  the  royal  bride  received  thy  presents  in  her  hands 
with  pleasure,  and  hence  is  peace  to  thy  children. 

MED.  Ah  ! 

TOT.  Why  dost  thou  stand  in  confusion,  when  thou  art  for- 
tunate ? 

MED.  Alas  !  alas  ! 

TUT.  This  behavior  is  not  consonant  with  the  message  I 
have  brought  thee. 

MED.  Alas !  again. 

TUT.  Have  I  reported  any  ill  fortune  unknowingly,  and 
have  I  failed  in  my  hope  of  being  the  messenger  of  good  ? 

1  Vertit  Portus,  0  infelix  quantam  calamitatem  ignoras.  M ihi 
sensus  videtur  esse,  quantum  a  pristina  fortuna  excidisti.  ELMS- 
LEY. 


IOII-I034-]  MEDEA.  45 

MED.  Thou  hast  said  what  thou  hast  said,  I  blame  not 
thee. 

TUT.  Why  tli  en  dost  thou  bend  down  thine  eye,  and  shed 
tears? 

MED.  Strong  necessity  compels  me,  O  aged  man,  for  this 
the  Gods  and  I  deliberating  ill  have  contrived. 

TUT.  Be  of  good  courage  ;  thou  also  wilt  return  home  yet 
through  thy  children. 

MED.  Others  first  will  I  send  to  their  home,1  O  wretched 
me  ! 

TUT.  Thou  art  not  the  only  one  who  art  separated  from 
thy  children  ;  it  behooves  a  mortal  to  bear  calamities  with 
meekness. 

MED.  I  will  do  so  ;  but  go  within  the  house,  and  prepare 
for  the  children  Avhat  is  needful  for  the  day.  O  my  sons, 
my  sons,  you  have  indeed  a  city,  and  a  house,  in  which  hav- 
ing forsaken  me  miserable,  you  shall  dwell,  ever  deprived  of 
a  mother.  But  I  am  now  going  an  exile  into  a  foreign  land, 
before  I  could  have  delight  in  you,  and  see  you  flourishing, 
before  I  could  adorn  your  marriage,  and  wife,  and  nuptial- 
bed,  and  hold  up  the  torch.2  O  unfortunate  woman  that  I 
am,  on  account  of  my  wayward  temper.  In  vain  then,  my 
children,  have  I  brought  you  up,  in  vain  have  I  toiled,  and 
been  consumed  with  cares,  suffering  the  strong  agonies  of 
child-bearing.  Surely  once  there  was  a  time  when  I  hapless 
woman  had  many  hopes  in  you,  that  you  would  both  tend  me 
in  my  age,  and  when  dead  would  with  your  hands  decently 

1  Medea  here  makes  use  of  the  ambiguous  word  <cara£&>,  which 
may  be  understood  by  the  Tutor  in  the  sense  of  "bringing 
back  to  their  country,"  but  implies  also  the  horrid  purpose  of 
destroying  her  children  :    r6de  Vora£cj'  <Wl  rou  iriji^ta  tir  riv 
Altriv,  as  the  Scholiast  explains  it. 

2  It  was  the  custom  for  mothers  to  bear  lighted  torches  at 
their  children's  nuptials.    See  Iphig.  Aul.  1.  372. 


46  MEDEA.  [1035-1068. 

compose  my  limbs,  a  thing  desired  by  men.  But  now  this 
pleasing  thought  hath  indeed  perished  ;  for  deprived  of  you 
I  shall  pass  a  life  of  misery,  and  bitter  to  myself.  But  you 
will  no  longer  behold  your  mother  with  your  dear  eyes,  hav- 
ing passed  into  another  state  of  life.  Alas !  alas  !  why  do 
you  look  upon  me  with  your  eyes,  my  children?  Why  do 
ye  smile  that  last  smile  ?  Alas  !  alas  !  what  shall  I  do  ?  for 
my  heart  is  sinking.  Ye  females,  when  I  behold  the  cheer- 
ful look  of  my  children,  I  have  no  power.  Farewell  my 
counsels  :  I  will  take  my  children  with  me  from  this  land. 
"What  does  it  avail  me  grieving  their  father  with  the  ills  of 
these,  to  acquire  twice  as  much  pain  for  myself?  never  will 
I  at  least  do  this.  Farewell  my  counsels.  And  yet  what  do 
I  suffer?  do  I  wish  to  incur  ridicule,  having  left  my  foes  un- 
punished ?  This  must  be  dared.  But  the  bringing  forward 
words  of  tenderness  in  my  mind  arises  also  from  my  cow- 
ardice. Go,  my  children,  into  the  house  ;  and  he  for  whom 
it  is  not  lawful  to  be  present  at  my  sacrifice,  let  him  take 
care  himself  to  keep  away.1  But  I  will  not  stain  my  hand. 
Alas  !  alas  !  do  not  thou  then,  my  soul,  do  not  thou  at  least 
perpetrate  this.  Let  them  escape,  thou  wretch,  spare  thy 
sons.  There  shall  they  live  with  us  and  delight  thee.  No, 
I  swear  by  the  infernal  deities  who  dwe"ll  with  Pluto,  never 
shall  this  be,  that  I  will  give  up  my  children  to  be  insulted 
by  my  enemies.  [At  all  events  they  must  die,  and  since 
they  must,  I  who  brought  them  into  the  world  will  perpe- 
trate the  deed.]  This  is  fully  determined  by  fate,  and  shall 
not  pass  away.  And  now  the  chaplet  is  on  her  head,  and 
the  bride  is  perishing  in  the  robes ;  of  this  I  am  well  as- 
sured. But,  since  I  am  now  going  a  most  dismal  path,  and 

1  VT(I)  $i  <pr]aiv  oiiic  ewefits  (fiaiverai  vapeivai   rw    <j>6vii>,   ical 
roiavTaS"  OixriaS",  otiror   airAni). — rco    it   aiircl   peXfiaei  avvavTeo 
•naptivai.     SCHOL. 


1069-1098.]  MEDEA.  47 

these  will  I  send  by  one  still  more  dismal,  I  desire  to  address 
my  children  :  give,  my  sons,  give  thy  right  hand  for  thy 
mother  to  kiss.  O  most  dear  hand,  and  those  lips  dearest  to 
me,  and  that  form  and  noble  countenance  of  my  children,  be 
ye  blessed,  but  there  ;l  for  every  thing  here  your  father  hath 
taken  away.  O  the  sweet  embrace,  and  that  soft  skin,  and 
that  most  fragrant  breath  of  my  children.  Go,  go  ;  no 
longer  am  I  able  to  look  upon  you,  but  am  overcome  by  my 
ills.  I  know  indeed  the  ills  that  I  am  about  to  dare,  but  my 
rage  is  master  of  my  counsels;2  which  is  indeed  the  cause  of 
the  greatest  calamities  to  men. 

CHOK.  Already  have  I  often  gone  through  more  refined 
reasonings,  and  have  come  to  greater  arguments  than  suits 
the  female  mind  to  investigate ;  for  we  also  have  a  muse, 
which  dwelleth  with  us,  for  the  sake  of  teaching  wisdom  ; 
but  not  with  all,  for  haply  thou  wilt  find  but  a  small  num- 
ber of  the  race  of  women  out  of  many  not  ungifted  with  the 
muse.s  And  I  say  that  those  men  who  are  entirely  free 
from  wedlock,  and  have  not  begotten  children,  surpass  in 
happiness  those  who  have  families ;  those  indeed  who  are 
childless,  through  inexperience  whether  children  are  born 
a  joy  or  anguish  to  men,  not  having  them  themselves,  are 
exempt  from  much  misery.  But  those  who  have  a  sweet 
blooming  offspring  of  children  in  their  house,  I  behold  worn 

J  But  there ;  that  is,  in  the  regions  below. 
2  Ovid.  Metamorpk.  vii.  20. 

Video  meliora  proboque, 
Deteriora  sequor. 
s  Elmsley  reads 

Ttavpov  6i  ytvor  (ptav  iv  woXXaTr 
ti'poij  Zv  r<r&)r) 
OVK,  K.  T.  X. 

"But  a  small  number  of  the  race  of  women  (you  may  perchance 
find  one  among  many)  not  ungifted  with  the  muse." 


48  MEDEA.  [1099-1131. 

with  care  the  whole  time  ;  first  of  all  how  they  shall  bring 
them  up  honorably,  and  how  they  shall  leave  means  of  sus- 
tenance for  their  children.  And  still  after  this,  whether 
they  are  toiling  for  bad  or  good  sons,  this  is  still  in  darkness. 
But  one  ill  to  mortals,  the  last  of  all,  I  now  will  mention. 
For  suppose  they  have  both  found  sufficient  store,  and  the 
bodies  of  their  children  have  arrived  at  manhood,  and  that 
they  are  good  ;  but  if  this  fortune  shall  happen  to  them, 
death,  bearing  away  their  sons,  vanishes  with  them  to  the 
shades  of  darkness.  How  then  does  it  profit  that  the  Gods 
heap  on  mortals  yet  this  grief  in  addition  to  others,  the 
most  bitter  of  all,  for  the  sake  of  children  ? 

MEDEA,  MESSENGER,  CHORUS. 

MED.  For  a  long  time  waiting  for  the  event,  my  friends,  I 
am  anxiously  expecting  what  will  be  the  result  thence.  And 
I  see  indeed  one  of  the  domestics  of  Jason  coming  hither, 
and  his  quickened  breath  shows  that  he  will  be  the  messen- 
ger of  some  new  ill. 

MESS.  O  thou  that  hast  impiously  perpetrated  a  deed  of 
terror,  Medea,  fly,  fly>  leaving  neither  the  ocean,  chariot,1 
nor  the  car  whirling  o'er  the  plain. 

MED.  But  what  is  done  that  requires  this  flight  ? 

MESS.  The  princess  is  just  dead,  and  Creon  her  father 
destroyed  by  thy  charms. 

MED.  Thou  hast  spoken  most  glad  tidings :  and  hereaf- 
ter from  this  time  shalt  thou  be  among  my  benefactors  and 
friends. 

MESS.  What  sayest  thou?  Art  thou  in  thy  senses,  and 
not  mad,  lady?  who  having  destroyed  the  king  and  family, 
rejoicest  at  hearing  it,  and  fearest  not  such  things  ? 

1  A  similar  expression  is  found  in  Iphig.  Taur.  v.  410,  vuiov 
oxnua.  A  ship  is  frequently  called  3p/*a  6a\aaari$ :  so  Virgil,  JSn. 
vi.  Classique  immittit  habenas. 


1132-1165.]  MEDEA.  49 

MED.  I  also  have  something  to  say  to  these  words  of  thine 
at  least ;  but  be  not  hasty,  my  friend  ;  but  tell  me  how  they 
perished,  for  twice  as  much  delight  wilt  thou  give  me  if  they 
died  miserably. 

MESS.  As  soon  as  thy  two  sons  were  come  with  their  father, 
and  had  entered  the  bridal  house,  we  servants,  who  were 
grieved  at  thy  misfortunes,  were  delighted  ;  and  immediately 
there  was  much  conversation  in  our  ears,  that  thy  husband  and 
thou  had  brought  the  former  quarrel  to  a  friendly  termination. 
One  kissed  the  hand,  another  the  auburn  head  of  thy  sons,  and 
I  also  myself  followed  with  them  to  the  women's  apartments 
through  joy.  But  my  mistress,  whom  we  now  reverence  in- 
stead of  thee,  before  she  saw  thy  two  sons  enter,  held  her 
cheerful  eyes  fixed  on  Jason  ;  afterward  however  she  covered 
her  eyes,  and  turned  aside  her  white  cheek,  disgusted  at  the 
entrance  of  thy  sons  ;  but  thy  husband  quelled  the  anger  and 
rage  of  the  young  bride,  saying  this :  Be  not  angry  with  thy 
friends,  but  cease  from  thy  rage,  and  turn  again  thy  face,  es- 
teeming those  as  friends,  whom  thy  husband  does.  But  receive 
the  gifts,  and  ask  thy  father  to  give  up  the  sentence  of  banish- 
ment against  these  children  for  my  sake.  But  when  she  saw 
the  ornaments,  she  refused  not,  but  promised  her  husband 
every  thing  ;  and  before  thy  sons  and  their  father  were  gone 
far  from  the  house,  she  took  and  put  on  the  variegated  robes, 
and  having  placed  the  golden  chaplet  around  her  tresses  she 
arranges  her  hair  in  the  radiant  mirror,  smiling  at  the  life- 
less image  of  her  person.  And  after,  having  risen  from  her 
seat,  she  goes  across  the  chamber,  elegantly  tripping  with 
snow-white  foot ;  rejoicing  greatly  in  the  presents,  looking 
much  and  oftentimes  with  her  eyes  on  her  outstretched  neck.1 
After  that  however  there  was  a  sight  of  horror  to  behold. 

1  Elmsley  is  of  opinion  that  the  instep  and  not  the  neck  is 
meant  by  rlvtav. 

3 


50  MEDEA.  [1166-1189. 

For  having  changed  color,  she  goes  staggering  back  trem- 
bling in  her  limbs,  and  is  scarce  in  time  to  prevent  herself 
from  falling  on  the  ground,  by  sinking  into  a  chair.  And 
some  aged  female  attendant,  when  she  thought  that  the  wrath 
either  of  Pan  or  some  other  Deity1  had  visited  her,  offered 
up  the  invocation,  before  at  least  she  sees  the  white  foam 
bursting  from  her  mouth,  and  her  mistress  rolling  her  eye- 
balls from  their  sockets  and  the  blood  no  longer  in  the  flesh  ; 
then  she  sent  forth  a  loud  shriek  of  far  different  sound  from 
the  strain  of  supplication  ;  and  straightway  one  rushed  to  the 
apartments  of  her  father,  but  another  to  her  newly-married 
husband,  to  tell  the  calamity  befallen  the  bride,  and  all  the 
house  was  filled  with  frequent  hurryings  to  and  fro.  And 
by  this  time  a  swift  runner,  exerting  his  limbs,  might  have 
reached2  the  goal  of  the  course  of  six  plethra  ;3  but  she, 
wretched  woman,  from  being  speechless,  and  from  a  closed 
eye  having  groaned  deeply  writhed  in  agony  ,  for  a  double 
pest  was  warring  against  her.  The  golden  chaplet  indeed 
placed  on  her  head  was  sending  forth  a  stream  of  all-devour- 
ing fire  wonderful  to  behold,  but  the  fine-wrought  robes,  the 
presents  of  thy  sons,  were  devouring  the  white  flesh  of  the 

1  The  ancients  attributed  all  sudden  terrors,  and  sudden 
sicknesses,  such  as  epilepsies,  for  which  no  cause  appeared,  to 
Pan,  or  to  some  other  Deity.    The  anger  of  the  God  they  en- 
deavored   to  avert  by  a  hymn,  which  had  the  nature  of  a 
charm. 

2  Elmsley  has  hvefitrrtTo,  which  is  the  old  reading :  this  makes 
no  difference  in  the  construing  or  the  construction,  as,  in  the 
line  before,  he  reads  av  eXxtof,  where  Porson  has  avi\K^v. 

3  The  space  of  time  elapsed  is  meant  to  be  marked  by  this 
circumstance.    MUSGEA.VE.    PORSON.    Thus  we  find  in  M  of 
the  Odyssey,  1.  439,  the  time  of  day  expressed  by  the  rising 
of  the  judges;   in  A  of  the  Iliad,  1.  86,  by  the  dining  of  the 
woodman.    When  we  recollect  that  the  ancients  had  not  the 
inventions  that  we  have  whereby  to  measure  their  time,  we 
shall  cease  to  consider  the  circumlocution  as  absurd  or  out 
of  place. 


1190-1223.]  MEDEA.  51 

hapless  woman.  But  she  having  started  from  her  seat  flies, 
all  on  fire,  tossing  her  hair  and  head  on  this  side  and  that 
side,  desirous  of  shaking  off  the  chaplet ;  hut  the  golden  wreath 
firmly  kept  its  hold ;  but  the  fire,  when  she  shook  her  hair, 
blazed  out  with  double  fury,  and  she  sinks  upon  the  ground 
overcome  by  her  sufferings,  difficult  for  any  one  except  her 
father  to  recognize.  For  neither  was  the  expression  of  her 
eyes  clear,  nor  her  noble  countenance  ;  but  the  blood  was 
dropping  from  the  top  of  her  head  mixed  with  fire.  But  her 
flesh  was  dropping  off  her  bones,  as  the  tear  from  the  pine- 
tree,  by  the  hidden  fangs  of  the  poison  ;  a  sight  of  horror. 
But  all  feared  to  touch  the  body,  for  we  had  her  fate  to  warn 
us.  But  the  hapless  father,  through  ignorance  of  her  suffer- 
ing, having  come  with  haste  into  the  apartment,  falls  on  the 
corpse,  and  groans  immediately  ;  and  having  folded  his  arms 
round  her,  kisses  her,  saying  these  words  :  O  miserable  child, 
what  Deity  hath  thus  cruelly  destroyed  thee  ?  who  makes  an 
aged  father  bowing  to  the  tomb1  bereaved  of  thee  ?  Alas  ! 
me !  let  me  die  with  thee,  my  child.  But  after  he  had 
ceased  from  his  lamentations  and  cries,  desiring  to  raise  his 
aged  body,  he  was  held,  as  the  ivy  by  the  boughs  of  the  lau- 
rel, by  the  fine-wrought  robes  ;  and  dreadful  was  the  strug- 
gle, for  he  wished  to  raise  his  knee,  but  she  held  him  back; 
but  if  he  drew  himself  away  by  force  he  tore  the  aged  flesh 
from  his  bones.  But  at  length  the  wretched  man  swooned 
away,  and  gave  up  his  life ;  for  no  longer  was  he  able  to  en- 
dure the  agony.  But  they  lie  corses,  the  daughter  and  aged 
father  near  one  another;  a  calamity  that  demands  tears. 
Aud  let  thy  affairs  indeed  be  not  matter  for  my  words  ;  for 

1  The  same  expression  occurs  in  the  Heraclidse,  1. 168.    The 

Scholiast  explains  it  thus  :  rv/nffoyepovTa,  rov  ir\rjoiov  Oavdrov  Svra' 
rvfiftovS'  fi  /taAofio-i  roOr  ytpovraS",  Ttap6<jov  Tt\rjaiov  tial  rot)  Qavarov  Kal 


52  MEDEA.  [1224-1262. 

thou  thyself  wilt  know  a  refuge  from  punishment.  But  the 
affairs  of  mortals  not  now  for  the  first  time  I  deem  a  shadow, 
and  I  would  venture  to  say  that  those  persons  who  seem  to 
be  wise  and  are  researchers  of  arguments,  these  I  say,  run  into 
the  greatest  folly.  For  no  mortal  man  is  happy ;  but  wealth 
pouring  in,  one  man  may  be  more  fortunate  than  another, 
but  happy  he  can  not  be. 

CHOR.  The  Deity,  it  seems,  will  in  this  day  justly  heap 
on  Jason  a  variety  of  ills.  O  hapless  lady,  how  we  pity  thy 
sufferings,  daughter  of  Creon,  who  art  gone  to  the  house  of 
darkness,  through  thy  marriage  with  Jason. 

MED.  The  deed  is  determined  on  by  me,  my  friends,  to 
slay  my  children  as  soon  as  possible,  and  to  hasten  from  this 
land  ;  and  not  by  delaying  to  give  my  sons  for  another  hand 
more  hostile  to  murder.  But  come,  be  armed,  my  heart ; 
why  do  we  delay  to  do  dreadful  but  necessary  deeds?  Come, 
O  wretched  hand  of  mine,  grasp  the  sword,  grasp  it,  advance 
to  the  bitter  goal  of  life,  and  be  not  cowardly,  nor  remember 
thy  children  how  dear  they  are,  how  thou  broughtest  them 
into  the  world  ;  but  for  this  short  day  at  least  forget  thy 
children  ;  hereafter  lament.  For  although  thou  slayest  them, 
nevertheless  they  at  least  were  dear,  but  I  a  wretched 
woman. 

CHOR.  O  thou  earth,  and  thou  all-illuming  beam  of  the 
sun,  look  down  upon,  behold  this  abandoned  woman,  before 
she  move  her  blood-stained  hand  itself  about  to  inflict  the 
blow  against  her  children  ;  for  from  thy  golden  race  they 
sprung ;  but  fearful  is  it  for  the  blood  of  Gods  to  fall  by  the 
hand  of  man.  But  do  thou,  O  heaven  born  light,  restrain  her, 
stop  her,  remove  from  this  house  this  blood-stained  and  mis- 
erable Erinnys  agitated  by  the  Furies.  The  care  of  thy  chil- 
dren perishes  in  vain,  and  in  vain  hast  thou  produced  a  dear 
race,  O  thou  who  didst  leave  the  most  inhospitable  entrance 


1263-1295.]  MEDEA.  53 

of  the  Cyanean  rocks,  the  Symplegades.  Hapless  woman, 
why  does  such  grievous  rage  settle  on  thy  mind  ;  and  hostile 
slaughter  ensue?  For  kindred  pollutions  are  difficult  of 
purification  to  mortals ;  correspondent  calamities  falling 
from  the  Gods  to  the  earth  upon  the  houses  of  the  murderers. l 

FIRST  SON.  (within)  Alas  !  what  shall  I  do  ?  whither  shall 
I  fly  from  my  mother's  hand  ? 

SECOND  SON.  I  know  not,  dearest  brother,  for  we  perish. 

CHOR.  Hearest  thou  the  cry?  hearest  thou  the  children? 

0  wretch,  O  ill-fated  woman  !     Shall  I  enter  the  house?    It 
seems  right  to  me  to  ward  off  the  murderous  blow  from  the 
children. 

SONS.  Nay,  by  the  Gods  assist  us,  for  it  is  in  needful  time ; 
since  now  at  least  are  we  near  the  destruction  of  the  sword. 

CHOR.  Miserable  woman,  art  thou  then  a  rock,  or  iron, 
who  cuttest  down  with  death  by  thine  own  hand  the  fair  crop 
of  children  which  thou  producedst  thyself?  one  indeed  I 
hear  of,  one  woman  of  those  of  old,  who  laid  violent  hands 
on  her  children,  Ino,  maddened  by  the  Gods  when  the  wife 
of  Jove  sent  her  in  banishment  from  her  home ;  and  she 
miserable  woman  falls  into  the  sea  through  the  impious  mur- 
der of  her  children,  directing  her  foot  over  the  sea-shore, 
and  dying  with  her  two  sons,  there  she  perished  !  what  then 

1  pray  can  be  more  dreadful  than  this  ?    O  thou  bed  of  wo- 
man, fruitful  in  ills,  how  many  evils   hast  thou  already 
brought  to  men  1 

JASON,  CHOBUS. 

JAS.  Ye  females,  who  stand  near  this  mansion,  is  she  who 
hath  done  these  deeds  of  horror,  Medea,  in  this  house  ;  or 

1  a»ro0(5vrair  may  be  taken  as  an  adjective  to  agree  with 
£<5//oir,  or  the  construction  may  be  SYI  virvovra  ainw^6vraif  art 
<5<fyioir,  in  the  same  manner  as  At'flor  lirtaijiot  M  xe<pa\y.  ELMSLEY. 


54  MEDEA.  [1296-1320. 

hath  she  withdrawn  herself  in  flight  ?  For  now  it  is  neces- 
sary for  her  either  to  be  hidden  beneath  the  earth,  or  to  raise 
her  winged  body  into  the  vast  expanse  of  air,  if  she  would  not 
suffer  vengeance  from  the  king's  house.  Does  she  trust  that 
after  having  slain  the  princes  of  this  land,  she  shall  herself 
escape  from  this  house  with  impunity  ?  —  But  I  have  not  such 
care  for  her  as  for  my  children  ;  for  they  whom  she  has  in- 
jured will  punish  her.  Bnt  I  came  to  preserve  my  children's 
life,  lest  [Creon's]  relations  by  birth  do  any  injury,1  aveng- 
ing the  impious  murder  perpetrated  by  their  mother. 

CHOR.  Unhappy  man  !  thou  knowest  not  at  what  misery 
thou  hast  arrived,  Jason,  or  else  thou  wouldest  not  have  ut- 
tered these  words. 

JAS.  What  is  this,  did  she  wish  to  slay  me  also  ? 

CHOR.  Thy  children  are  dead  by  their  mother's  hand. 

JAS.  Alas  me  1  What  wilt  thou  say  ?  how  hast  thou  killed 
me,  woman  ! 

CHOR.  Think  now  of  thy  sons  as  no  longer  living. 

JAS.  Where  did  she  slay  them,  within  or  without  the 
house  ? 

CHOR.  Open  those  doors,  and  thou  wilt  see  the  slaughter 
of  thy  sons. 

JAS.  Undo  the  bars,  as  quick  as  possible,  attendants  ;  un- 
loose the  hinges,  that  I  may  see  this  double  evil,  my  sons 
slain,  and  may  punish  her. 

MED.  Why  dost  thou  shake  and  unbolt  these  gates,  seek- 
ing the  dead  and  me  who  did  the  deed.  Cease  from  this 
labor  ;  but  if  thou  wantest  aught  with  me,  speak  if  thou  wish- 
est  any  thing  ;  but  never  shall  thou  touch  me  with  thy 


TI  tipaaoxrt'  had  beer  "lest  they  do  me  any  injury."  Elms- 
ley  conceives  that  viv  is  the  true  reading,  which  might  easily 
have  been  corrupted  into  /*<>«. 


1321-1350.]  <       MEDEA.  55 

hands;  such  a  chariot  the  sun  my  father's  father  gives  me,  a 
defense  from  the  hostile  hand.1 

JAS.  O  thou  abomination  !  thou  most  detested  woman,, 
both  by  the  Gods  and  by  me,  and  by  all  the  race  of  man ; 
who  hast  dared  to  plunge  the  sword  in  thine  own  children, 
thou  who  bore  them,  and  hast  destroyed  me  childless.  And 
having  done  this  thou  beholdest  both  the  sun  and  the  earth, 
having  dared  a  most  impious  deed.  Mayest  thou  perish  ! 
but  I  am  now  wise,  not  being  so  then  when  I  brought  thee 
from  thy  house  and  from  a  foreign  land  to  a  Grecian  habi- 
tation, a  great  pest,  traitress  to  thy  father  and  the  land  that 
nurtured  thee.  But  the  Gods  have  sent  thy  evil  genius  on 
me.  For  having  slain  thy  brother  at  the  altar,  thou  em- 
barkedst  on  board  the  gallant  vessel  Argo.  Thou  begannest 
indeed  with  such  deeds  as  these  ;  and  being  wedded  to  me, 
and  bearing  me  children,  thou  hast  destroyed  them  on  ac- 
count of  another  bed  and  marriage.  There  is  not  one  Gre- 
cian woman  who  would  have  dared  a  deed  like  this,  in  pref- 
erence to  whom  at  least,  I  thought  worthy  to  wed  thee,  an 
alliance  hateful  and  destructive  to  me,  a  lioness,  no  woman, 
having  a  nature  more  savage  than  the  Tuscan  Scylla.  But 
I  can  not  gall  thy  heart  with  ten  thousand  reproaches,  such 
shameless  confidence  .is  implanted  in  thee.  Go,  thou  worker 
of  ill,  and  stained  with  the  blood  of  thy  children.  But  for 
me  it  remains  to  bewail  my  fate,  who  shall  neither  enjoy  my 
new  nuptials,  nor  shall  I  have  it  in  my  power  to  address 
while  alive  my  sons  whom  I  begot  and  educated,  but  I  have 

lost  them. 

t 

1  Here  Medea  appears  above  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  dragons, 
bearing  with  her  the  bodies  of  her  slaughtered  sons.  SCHOL. 
See  Horace,  Epod.  3. 

Hoc  delibutis  ulta  donis  pellicem, 
Serpente  fugit  alite. 


56  MEDEA.  [I35I-I375- 

MED.  Surely  I  could  make  long  reply  to  these  words,  if 
the  Sire  Jupiter  did  not  know  what  treatment  thou  receivedst 
from  me,  and  what  thou  didst  in  return  ;  but  you  were  mis- 
taken, when  you  expected,  having  dishonored  my  bed,  to 
lead  a  life  of  pleasure,  mocking  me,  and  so  was  the  princess, 
and  so  was  Creon,  who  proposed  the  match  to  thee,  when  he 
expected  to  drive  me  from  this  land  with  impunity.  Where- 
fore, if  thou  wilt,  call  me  lioness,  and  Scylla  who  dwelt  in 
the  Tuscan  plain.  For  thy  heart,  as  is  right,  1  have 
wounded. 

JAS.  And  thou  thyself  grievest  at  least,  and  art  a  sharer 
in  these  ills. 

MED.  Be  assured  of  that ;  but  this  lessens1  the  grief,  that 
thou  canst  not  mock  me. 

JAS.  My  children,  what  a  wicked  mother  have  ye  found  ! 

MED.  My  sons,  how  did  ye  perish  by  your  father's  fault  I 

JAS.  Nevertheless  my  hand  slew  them  not. 

MED.  But  injury,  and  thy  new  nuptials. 

JAS.  And  on  account  of  thy  bed  didst  thou  think  fit  to 
slay  them  ? 

MED.  Dost  thou  deem  this  a  slight  evil  to  a  woman  ? 

JAS.  Whoever  at  least  is  modest ;  but  in  thee  is  every  ill. 

MED.  These  are  no  longer  living,  fqr  this  will  gall  thee. 

JAS.  These  are  living,  alas  me  !  avenging  furies  on  thy  head. 

MED.  The  Gods  know  who  began  the  injury. 

JAS.  They  know  indeed  thy  execrable  mind. 

MED.  Thou  art  hateful  to  me,  and  I  detest  thy  bitter 
speech. 

JAS.  And  I  in  soo*th  thine ;  the  separation  at  least  is  with- 
out pain. 

1  \vet  may  also  be  interpreted,  with  the  Scholiast,  in  the  sense 
of  \wriTs\ti,  "  the  grief  delights  me."  The  translation  given  in 
the  text  is  proposed  by  Porson,  and  approved  of  by  Elmsley. 


1376-1400.]  MEDEA.  57 

MED.  How  then  ?  what  shall  I  do  ?  for  I  also  am  very 
desirous. 

JAS.  Suffer  me,  I  beg,  to  bury  and  mourn  over  these  dead 
bodies. 

MED.  Never  indeed ;  since  I  will  bury  them  with  this 
hand  bearing  them  to  the  shrine  of  Juno,  the  Goddess 
guardian  of  the  citadel,  that  no  one  of  my  enemies  may  in- 
sult them,  tearing  up  their  graves.  But  in  this  land  of 
Sisyphus  will  I  institute  in  addition  to  this  a  solemn  fes- 
tival and  sacrifices  hereafter  to  expiate  this  unhallowed 
murder.  But  I  myself  will  go  to  the  land  of  Erectheus,  to 
dwell  with  jEgeus  son  of  Pandion.  But  thou,  wretch,  as  is 
fit,  shalt  die  wretchedly,  struck  on  thy  head  with  a  relic  of 
thy  ship  Argo,  having  seen  the  bitter  end  of  my  marriage. 

JAS.  But  may  the  Fury  of  the  children,  and  Justice  the 
avenger  of  murder,  destroy  thee. 

MED.  But  what  God  or  Deity  hears  thee,  thou  perjured 
man,  and  traitor  to  the  rights  of  hospitality? 

JAS.  Ah  !  thou  abominable  woman,  and  murderer  of  thy 
children. 

MED.  Go  to  thy  home,  and  bury  thy  wife. 

JAS.  I  go,  even  deprived  of  both  my  children. 

MED.  Thou  dost  not  yet  mourn  enough:  stay  and  grow 
old.1 

JAS.  Oh  my  dearest  sons  ! 

MED.  To  their  mother  at  least,  but  not  to  thee. 

JAS.  And  yet  thou  slewest  them. 

MED.  To  grieve  thee. 

JAS.  Alas,  Alas  !  I  hapless  man  long  to  kiss  the  dear 
mouths  of  my  children. 

1  Elmsley  has 

fiive  KOI  yrfpof. 
"  Stay  yet  for  old  age"    So  also  Dindorf. 


58  MEDEA.  [1401-1419. 

MED.  Now  thou  addressest,  now  salutest  them,  formerly 
rejecting  them  with  scorn. 

JAS.  Grant  me,  by  the  Gods,  to  touch  the  soft  skin  of  my 
sons. 

MED.  It  is  not  possible.  Thy  words  are  thrown  away 
in  vain. 

JAS.  Dost  thou  hear  this,  O  Jove,  how  I  am  rejected,  and 
what  I  suffer  from  this  accursed  and  child-destroying 
lioness?  But  as  much  indeed  as  is  in  my  power  and  I  am 
able,  I  lament  and  mourn  over  these  ;  calling  the  Gods  to 
witness,  that  having  slain  my  children,  thou  preventest  me 
from  touching  them  with  my  hands,  and  from  burying  the 
bodies,  whom,  oh  that  I  had  never  begotten,  and  seen  them 
thus  destroyed  by  thee. 

CHOE.  Jove  is  the  dispenser  of  various  fates  in  heaven, 
and  the  Gods  perform  many  things  contrary  to  our  expecta- 
tions, and  those  things  which  we  looked  for  are  not  accom- 
plished ;  but  the  God  hath  brought  to  pass  things  unthought 
of.  In  such  manner  hath  this  affair  ended. 


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Latin  Interlinear  Translations : 
VIRGIL — By  HART  AND  OSBORNE. 
C.ffiSAR — By  HAMILTON  AND  CLARK. 
HORACE — By  STIRLING,  NUTTALL  AND  CLARK. 
CICERO — By  HAMILTON  AND  CLARK. 
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JUVENAL — By  HAMILTON  AND  CLARK. 
LIVY — By  HAMILTON  AND  CLARK. 

Greek  Interlinear  Translations : 
HOMER'S  ILIAD— By  THOMAS  CLARK. 
XENOPHON'S  ANABASIS— By  HAMILTON  AND  CLARK. 
GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN— By  GEORGE  W.  HEILIG. 


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effectually  to  the  preservation  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  grammars  as  their 
judicious  union  (the  fruit  of  an  intelligent  compromise)  with  the  Interlinear 
Classics." 

DAVID  McKAY,  Publisher,  Philadelphia. 

Formerly  published  by  Charles  De  Silver  &  Sons. 


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